Zimbabwe sealed a dramatic 30-28 victory over Namibia at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, on Sunday to claim the Rugby Africa Cup title and secure a historic return to the Rugby World Cup for the first time in over three decades.
The tightly contested final saw Zimbabwe hold their nerve in the closing stages to pull off a memorable win, marking their first World Cup qualification since 1991 and signaling a powerful resurgence in Zimbabwean rugby.
Namibia’s World Cup Hopes Still Alive
Despite falling short in the final, Namibia still has a pathway to the World Cup. They will face the United Arab Emirates in a crucial playoff match set for November in Dubai. A win in that encounter would see Namibia secure a World Cup spot through the repechage route.
Uganda Finish Strong with 7th-Place Win
Meanwhile, hosts Uganda ended their campaign on a positive note, defeating Côte d’Ivoire 37-17 in the seventh-place playoff. After a challenging tournament, the Rugby Cranes gave their home fans something to cheer about with a commanding performance to retain their top-flight status in African rugby.
