2025 Rugby Africa Cup

2025 Rugby Africa Cup
Tournament details
Host country	Uganda
Dates	8–19 July
Teams	8
Venue(s)	1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions	Zimbabwe (3rd title)
Runners-up	Namibia
Third place	Algeria
Fourth place	Kenya
Tournament statistics
Matches played	12
Top scorer(s)	Ian Prior (52)
Best player(s)	Ian Prior
	← 2024 TBD →

The 2025 Rugby Africa Cup was the 20th edition of the Rugby Africa Cup. Administered by Rugby Africa, it was held from 8 to 19 July in Kampala, Uganda for the second consecutive time, featuring eight teams.^[1]

The competition also served as a qualification for the 2027 Rugby World Cup with winners Zimbabwe qualifying for the World Cup, and runners-up Namibia progressing to an Africa / Asia play-off match.^[2]

Venue

Kampala	Kampala
	Mandela National Stadium annex
	Capacity: 10,000

Participants

Nation	Stadium			Head coach	Captain
Nation	Home stadium	Capacity	Location	Head coach	Captain
Algeria	Ahmed Zabana Stadium	40,000	Oran	Adrien Buononato	Rabah Abdelkader
Ivory Coast	Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium	33,000	Abidjan	Edgar Babou	Edgar Babou
Kenya	RFUEA Ground	6,000	Nairobi	Jerome Paarwater	Daniel Sikuta
Morocco	Stade Tessema	5,000	Casablanca	Pierre Chadebech	Houssine Arabat
Namibia	Hage Geingob Rugby Stadium	10,000	Windhoek	Jacques Burger	Prince !Gaoseb
Senegal	Stade Iba Mar Diop	5,000	Dakar	Jean-Marc Foucras	Demba Kane
Uganda	Legends Rugby Grounds	5,000	Kampala	Fred Mudoola	Byron Oketayot
Zimbabwe	National Sports Stadium	60,000	Harare	Piet Benade	Hilton Mudariki

Knockout stage

Quarter-finals		Semi-finals		Final



Zimbabwe	43

Morocco	8
		Zimbabwe	29

		Kenya	23
Kenya	32

Uganda	24
				Zimbabwe	30

				Namibia	28
Namibia	55

Senegal	17
		Namibia	21

		Algeria	7	Third place
Algeria	41

Ivory Coast	6
				Kenya	5

				Algeria	15

Quarter-finals

8 July 2025
10:00

Zimbabwe	43–8	Morocco
	Report

Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
Referee: Zaid Isaacs (Namibia)

8 July 2025
12:00

Algeria	41–6	Ivory Coast
	Report

Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
Referee: Anthony Diaz (France)

8 July 2025
14:00

Namibia	55–17	Senegal
	Report

Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
Referee: Paul Mente (South Africa)

8 July 2025
16:00

Kenya	32–24	Uganda
	Report

Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
Referee: Sylvain Mane (Senegal)

Semi-finals

13 July 2025
14:00

Algeria	7–21	Namibia
	Report^[3]

Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
Referee: Sylvain Mane (Senegal)

13 July 2025
16:00

Zimbabwe	29–23	Kenya
	Report^[3]^[4]^[5]

Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
Referee: Ronald Wutimber (Uganda)

Third place match

19 July 2025
12:00

Algeria	15–5	Kenya
	Report

Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
Referee: Talent Gandiwa (Zimbabwe)

Final

19 July 2025
16:00

Namibia	28–30	Zimbabwe
Try: ǃGaoseb 34' c Nel 61' m Booysen 70' c Con: Loubser (1/2) 35' Swanepoel 71' Pen: Loubser (3/3) 5', 10', 21'		Try: Mashawi 17' c Muzanargwo 45' c Mudzekenyedzi 59' c Con: Prior (3/3) 18', 46', 60' Pen: Prior (3/4) 8', 13', 27'

Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
Referee: Paul Mente (South Africa)

Team details


FB	15	Cliven Loubser
RW	14	Jay-Cee Nel
OC	13	Le Roux Malan
IC	12	Danco Burger
LW	11	Jurgen Meyer
FH	10	André van den Berg		61'
SH	9	Jacques Theron	23'	47'
N8	8	Richard Hardwick
OF	7	Wian Conradie		56'
BF	6	Prince ǃGaoseb (c)		69'
RL	5	Tiaan de Klerk
LL	4	Adriaan Ludick		40'
TP	3	Aranos Coetzee		76'
HK	2	Louis van der Westhuizen		71'
LP	1	Otja Auala		76'
Replacements:
HK	16	Armand Combrinck		71'
PR	17	Jason Benade		76'
PR	18	Haitembu Shikufa		76'
LK	19	Johan Retief		40'
FL	20	Max Katjijeko		69'
SH	21	AJ Kearns		47'
FH	22	Tiaan Swanepoel		61'
FL	23	Adriaan Booysen		56'
Coach:
Jacques Burger


FB	15	Tapiwa Mafura
RW	14	Matthew McNab
OC	13	Brandon Mudzekenyedzi
IC	12	Kudzai Mashawi		56'
LW	11	Edward Sigauke		71'
FH	10	Ian Prior
SH	9	Hilton Mudariki (c)		69'
N8	8	Jason Fraser	33'
OF	7	Dylan Utete		50'
BF	6	Tinotenda Mavesere
RL	5	Simba Siraha
LL	4	Godfrey Muzanargwo
TP	3	Cleopas Kundiona		63'
HK	2	Simba Mandioma		71'	77'
LP	1	Victor Mupunga		73'
Replacements:
HK	16	Liam Larkan		71'	77'
PR	17	Tyran Fagan		73'
PR	18	Bornwell Gwinji		63'
LK	19	Tadiwanashe Gwashu
FL	20	Aiden Burnett		50'
SH	21	Keegan Joubert		69'
CE	22	Dion Khumalo		71'
FH	23	Bruce Houston		56'
Coach:
Piet Bienade

Assistant referees:
Sylvain Mane (Senegal)
Ronald Wutimber (Uganda)

Classification stage

Semi-finals		5th/6th



Morocco	24

Uganda	12
		Morocco	28

		Senegal	33
Senegal	28

Ivory Coast	3
		7th/8th



		Uganda	37

		Ivory Coast	17

Semi-finals

13 July 2025
10:00

Ivory Coast	3–28	Senegal
	Report

Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
Referee: Stéphane Rakotonirainy (Madagascar)

13 July 2025
12:00

Morocco	24–12	Uganda
	Report

Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
Referee: Benjamin Beuriot (France)

7th/8th play-off

19 July 2025
14:00

Ivory Coast	17–37	Uganda

Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
Referee: Nicardo Pienaar (Namibia)

5th/6th play-off

19 July 2025
10:00

Senegal	33–28 (a.s.d)	Morocco
	Report

Mandela National Stadium, Kampala
Referee: Benjamin Beuriot (France)

Final standings

Pos.	Team	Qualification
	Zimbabwe	Qualified for the 2027 Men's Rugby World Cup
	Namibia	Qualified for the 2027 Men's Rugby World Cup – Regional play-off
	Algeria
4	Kenya
5	Senegal
6	Morocco
7	Uganda
8	Ivory Coast

References

^ "Uganda gears up preparation for Rugby Africa Cup 2025". The Independent (Uganda). Redaction team. 15 June 2025.
^ "We will need to be a lot better – Sables Coach on Africa Cup Draw". Rugby Africa. 12 February 2025. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
^ ^a ^b "Namibia and Zimbabwe Reach Final Step in Race to Rugby World Cup 2027". Rugby Afrique. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
^ "Simbas Fall to Zimbabwe in Thriller, Set for 3rd Place Playoff". KRU. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
^ "Zimbabwe rally past Kenya to reach Rugby Africa Cup final". Zim Live. Retrieved 15 July 2025.

[1] "Uganda gears up preparation for Rugby Africa Cup 2025". The Independent (Uganda). Redaction team. 15 June 2025.

[2] "We will need to be a lot better – Sables Coach on Africa Cup Draw". Rugby Africa. 12 February 2025. Retrieved 17 March 2025.

[semis-3] "Namibia and Zimbabwe Reach Final Step in Race to Rugby World Cup 2027". Rugby Afrique. Retrieved 15 July 2025.

[4] "Simbas Fall to Zimbabwe in Thriller, Set for 3rd Place Playoff". KRU. Retrieved 15 July 2025.

[5] "Zimbabwe rally past Kenya to reach Rugby Africa Cup final". Zim Live. Retrieved 15 July 2025.

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