Namibia and Zimbabwe will meet in a repeat of last year's Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) Under 19 Championship final after completing their pool matches unbeaten on Wednesday evening in Tunis, Tunisia.

Namibia edged out Kenya 26-19 while Zimbabwe and Ivory Coast kept a clean sheet in the first half before the Zimbabweans won 21-0.

This will be the second time in as many years that the two teams will meet in the final after facing off in Casablanca, Morocco last year with Namibia winning 23-20. North Africans, Tunisia and Morocco will battle it out for the third and fourth positions while Kenya and Ivory Coast will meet in the fifth and sixth position play-off on Saturday.

In the crunch Pool A match between Kenya and Namibia, it was the defending champions who were quick off the mark, scoring two converted tries in the 12th and 17th minutes. Mike Wanjala pulled one back for the East Africans in the 20th minute as Namibia led 14-5 at half time.

Namibia started from where they left off in the first half by scoring their third try in the 38th minute to stretch the lead to 21-5. Patrice Agunda replied for Kenya in the 45th minute and George Mutuku converted to narrow the gap to 21-12 in Namibia’s favour. Eric Kioko barged over from a maul and Mutuku converted in the 58th minute to bring the game within Kenya’s grasp 21-19.

But, Namibia held on and punished a mistake by the Kenyans to score their fourth try in the 65th minute. Wanjala’s attempted chip over the advancing Namibia backs was retrieved and there was no stopping their speedy backs to the line.

“We were just unlucky to concede two tries in the opening minutes. The idea was to contain Namibia for the first 20 minutes. I am not disappointed, the competition has been close and we are still within our aim of improving on our sixth position from the last tournament which means we must beat Ivory Coast in the play-off,” Mitch Ocholla the Kenya coach said.

Pool A: Namibia, Morocco, Kenya
Pool B: Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Ivory Coast

21 August
Kenya 18 Morocco 21
Tunisia 11 Zimbabwe 18

24 August
Namibia 15 Morocco 5
Tunisia 15 Ivory Coast 9

27 August
Zimbabwe 21 Ivory Coast 0
Kenya 19 Namibia 26

30 August
Ranking matches:
Kenya v Ivory Coast (5th/6th)
Tunisia v Morocco (4th/3rd)
Zimbabwe v Namibia (1st/2nd)