The Rwanda national rugby team, the Silverbacks, missed out on qualifying for the Africa Rugby Cup 1B next year after a humiliating 93-03 loss to Zambia in Lusaka over the weekend.
The Silverbacks were competing in the 2017 Africa Rugby Tier 1C tournament that featured two other opponents in the shape of Zambia and Mauritius.
At the end of the weekend, Zambia came out with the smiles as resounding wins over Mauritius and Rwanda put them in line to qualify to the next division.
The silverbacks, coached by former Rugby Cranes star Herbert Wafula, had started the tournament with a convincing 24-03 win over Mauritius. Ismael Bikamba and Hertier Habimana each bagged a try and two conversions to lead Rwanda to victory.
Meanwhile, against Zambia, Lastone Mukosa engineered the massacre with a penalty while Brian Mbalwe, Kabwe Musonda, Philip Kamanga, Michello Shelleni, Simon Nyangu and Oscar Bwalya scored a try apiece with Mukosa drilling in the conversions.
Rwanda scrum-half Ismoel Bikamba scored a consolation penalty after the break.
The Africa Cup 1C is the third competition of the Africa Cup 1st division.
The winner from the Zambia tournament’s promotion to Group 1 B will be decided by a points’ difference tally against the victor of Group C North tournament that will involve Nigeria, Cameroon and Algeria.