
Zimbabwe beats Namibia to qualify for 2027 Rugby World Cup
Led by captain Hilton Mudariki, Zimbabwe sealed their ticket to the global tournament - set to be held in Australia - with a spirited performance at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala.
The closely contested first half ended in a 16-16 stalemate, but the Sables returned stronger after the break. Tries from Godfrey Muzanargwo and Brandon Mudzekenyedzi, along with flawless conversions by Ian Prior, pushed Zimbabwe to a commanding 30-16 lead.
Namibia, however, staged a late comeback with two tries and a conversion, narrowing the deficit to just two points. A missed penalty in the dying moments ultimately cost them the match, handing Zimbabwe the Rugby Africa Cup trophy and their first World Cup qualification since 1991.
"We are very happy that we have remained focused since the start of the competition and eventually qualified for the World Cup after last making it in 1991. I want to thank all the players and technical bench for a job well done," Mudariki told Xinhua.
In an earlier classification match, host Uganda avoided relegation by defeating Cote d'Ivoire 37-17 to finish seventh out of eight teams.
Algeria pulled off a surprise 15-5 win over Kenya to claim third place, while Senegal edged Morocco 33-28 to secure fifth.
Herbert Mensah, President of Rugby Africa, praised the organizers and commended the quality of competition throughout the tournament.
"The level of competition in the tournament was high and I want to thank all the eight teams for the good show. Congratulations to the Zimbabwe team for qualifying for the World Cup, and Namibia - you still have a chance to qualify through the repechage," said Mensah.
UNI XINHUA RKM
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Indian Express
44 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Why Koneru Humpy's 2nd place finish at FIDE Women's World Cup deserves as much praise as winning title
Kushager Krishnater calls the week gone by the 'most draining seven days' of his career as a chess second. You have a feeling that Koneru Humpy, who at 38 is experiencing a second wind in her pathbreaking career, would agree. Humpy ended second in the FIDE World Cup on Monday, after losing to 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh in a battle of generations at Batumi. The defeat to Divya came after the first two games in the classical format on Saturday and Sunday ended in draws. Then the first game in the rapid section on Monday ended in a draw as well. Finally, in the second game, there was a breakthrough as Divya managed to clinch victory. For Humpy and team, finishing second after having come this far left them 'gutted', says Krishnater, who has been a second to Humpy since August 2022. This has included working with the Indian women's star during her FIDE Women's Candidates tournament challenge last year. He is an International Master, who has worked with over 10 Grandmasters. This includes super elite grandmasters like Arjun Erigaisi and Vidit Gujrathi, besides Humpy. A FIDE Master at 16, he was an IM by the age of 18. Krishnater says that the World Cup is the 'most difficult format' for Humpy, since, at 38, it means playing for one month at her peak level, which she managed until the final tiebreak game. He details the intense work that the team did after both classical games ended in draws. 'After the match against Alexandra Kosteniuk, the intensity of our work is something that we have never reached so far in our working relationship. For example, we worked till 11 in the night on Sunday (during the final against Divya). And on Monday morning, we started at 8 am, and went on till 11.30 am, which was just one hour before the game. She gave it all, despite like one month of consistency and her being in a stage of her career where she has played for so many years. It is a physically taxing job, playing nearly one month at a FIDE World Cup,' says Krishater. 'I can easily say that since the time we have been working together, this has been the most draining work — physically draining work — for both of us, especially for Humpy.' While he admits he did not discuss her workout regime, he does say: 'To do this for 24 days, I don't think it's easy for anyone. I'm sure she was working out diligently before she came. That's why even during the quarter-finals, she was very fresh.' It's that freshness, that's allowed her to keep battles going and try to squeeze water out of stone, like in the second classical game against China's Lei Tingjie, where Krishnater thought after a point that there was 'no venom left' in the pieces. But Humpy continued playing and soon, she was one move away from victory. On the board, all the work that is happening behind the scenes is bearing fruit. 'The fact that Humpy's style is constantly evolving and she is showing a familiarity with a lot of the latest trends tells me that she is working very hard, that she is still motivated to work and update herself on things. Most importantly, she courageously enters those battles with opponents no matter what their age or training was,' five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand told The Indian Express. The crazy hours Krishnater details are something that are par for the course for young teenage players like Divya or Gukesh, who have the energy to work for hours on chess before striding into a battle and then grind it out for five-six hours more. And then doing it all over again the next day. For Humpy, this was also a challenge because over the last few years, she has managed to find a balance between her family life and her professional pursuit — which is rare in Indian chess. As Krishnater points out, that ever since Humpy reached the quarters, she entered the zone of focussing primarily on her chess. 'After Humpy reached the quarter-finals, it has been so hectic. I can easily say that the past week has been like the most draining job for me. Having worked with all kinds of players, this has been the most difficult job. And then to think that Humpy is somebody who is 38, and still willing to give it all,' he says. The FIDE Women's World Cup is the second-most prestigious event in chess, behind the Women's World Championship. But unlike the Women's World Championship, which features up to 12 one-on-one battles between the same two players, the World Cup is a seven-round tournament where Humpy had to play six opponents of different skillsets in two one-on-one classical games (and games in faster time controls after that if needed). Besides the work behind the scenes, Anand also credits a changed mindset for Humpy's recent results: she won the World Rapid Championship in December last year for the second time in her career. Anand calls it Humpy's 'willingness to learn and to experiment' rather than sticking with things that have worked well for her. 'Her confidence, the fact that she has done well in the World Rapid Championship last year also suggests that she is comfortable with all kinds of formats. Maybe the main thing is an open mind. She is willing to take on any format, and doesn't tell herself that I'm good in this (format). The main force driving this for Humpy is that she feels good about herself,' says Anand before drawing a comparison with Hikaru Nakamura: 'Maybe she now competes without feeling a lot of pressure and she just thinks, 'let me try this and enjoy myself'. That attitude comes across very well, maybe in a way similar to Hikaru.' Amit Kamath is Assistant Editor at The Indian Express and is based in Mumbai. ... Read More
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Exclusive: Nihal Sarin to make Esports World Cup 2025 debut, says new format is the 'future of chess'
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin is set to compete at the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, representing Team S8UL. In an exclusive chat with Firstpost, he shared thoughts on his preparation, tournament format, and why he believes this is the future of chess. read more Advertisement Nihal is the sole Indian to secure his spot in the Esports World Cup via LCQ. Image: Special arrangement Indian chess Grandmaster Nihal Sarin is all set to compete in the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, where he will represent Team S8UL. Speaking exclusively to Firstpost, the 21-year-old shared his thoughts on preparation, format, and the experience of playing in this unique environment. Nihal earned his place at the World Cup after a superb run in the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ). 'Of course, it was a very tough field. I was just trying to enjoy and not take any pressure,' Nihal said. 'There was some pressure, but I was really enjoying everything. Fortunately, I managed to show a pretty good level.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The youngster put on an impressive display in the LCQ group stage, registering five wins and finishing with 5.5 points to secure a spot in the top four of Group B. In the playoffs, he produced a remarkable comeback against Belarusian player Denis Lazavik, and followed that up with another 1.5-0.5 win over Anish Giri. Sarin on his preparation for Esports World Cup He sealed his ticket to Riyadh by beating Andrey Esipenko 2.5-1.5 in a thrilling winners' bracket match. When asked about his preparation for the main event, Nihal said, 'In regard to preparation, nothing special. Just trying to relax and reset and be well rested before the new tournament.' Nihal, who is currently ranked 8th in India and 37th in the world with a FIDE rating of 2692, will join 15 of the world's top players at the Esports World Cup. The lineup includes Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Alireza Firouzja, and fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi. Nihal also praised his team, S8UL, for the support and opportunity to be part of the event. 'I am very, very thankful to my team S8UL for giving me the opportunity to be part of this fantastic event. I have never really seen anything like this. They are supporting in every way possible. They are taking care of me extremely well. I will remember this experience for a lifetime.' Sarin on future of chess and the best format Nihal backed the tournament format, calling it the future of the sport. 'I strongly feel that this format, or a similar format, is the future of chess,' he said. 'The traditional, classical chess is the purest form and of highest quality — it's like Test cricket. But this Esports format, with live commentary, a faster pace, and even a video game element, is great for viewership. That's what sports need to grow.' The Esports World Cup 2025 chess event will have a $1.5 million prize pool (over Rs 13 crore). Each player will get 10 minutes for the whole game and there won't be any extra time added after each move. If the match ends in a tie, it will be decided by one final Armageddon game. The final will be played as a best-of-three sets match.


United News of India
2 hours ago
- United News of India
PM Modi congratulates Divya Deshmukh on historic chess victory
New Delhi, July 29 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Indian chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh for her remarkable triumph at the 2025 FIDE Women's World Cup, where she not only clinched the prestigious title but also earned the title of Grandmaster. In a message shared on X, the Prime Minister wrote, 'It's been a phenomenal day for Indian Chess! Divya Deshmukh has not only won the 2025 FIDE Women's World Cup but also become a Grandmaster. Congratulations to her. Her accomplishment will motivate many people and contribute to chess becoming even more popular among the youth.' The 19-year-old Deshmukh defeated seasoned Koneru Humpy in a tense final held in Batumi, Georgia yesterday. With this win, she became the first Indian woman to win the FIDE women's world cup and only the fourth Indian player to attain the Grandmaster title. UNI VAN PRS