German Rugby Team’s Remarkable Comeback Keeps Madrid Play-off Hopes Alive
Germany 19-17 Kenya | HSBC Sevens Challenger Series
Munich, Germany | BBC Rugby Union
In a gripping quarter-final match of the HSBC Sevens Challenger Series in Munich, Germany overcame a significant setback to secure a narrow 19-17 victory over Kenya and maintain their hopes of reaching the promotional play-off in Madrid.
Despite playing much of the contest with just six players on the field after Ben Ellerman’s red card for an illegal fend, the German side displayed remarkable resolve and teamwork to mount a comeback and clinch the win. Tries from Jakob Dipper and a brace from Makonnen Amekuedi proved crucial in turning the tide, as the hosts rallied to overcome the numerical disadvantage.
“It feels amazing,” enthused Germany’s John Dawe after the match. “We said in the team talk at the start, no matter what, it’s just about heart and pride for this game. We knew obviously that Kenya are an extremely good outfit, so it was literally just heart and dig deep and hopefully the result came our way, which was amazing in the end.”
The victory keeps Germany’s dreams of a berth in the Madrid play-offs alive, with the semi-final against Hong Kong China now looming as a decisive battle. “It gets more spicy now as obviously it goes down to head to head, the semi-final is technically our final for Madrid, because we’re against Hong Kong China in the semi, so literally we’re focussed on that now and going to give everything to win that game,” added Dawe.
Chris Umeh, the German rugby union star, praised his team’s resilience and unity in the face of adversity. “It’s all for the team. It’s great that the boys had each other’s back. It’s a team sport. Kenya was more like individual players, but as you can see, even though we were with six guys [due to the red card] we bonded with each other and we did a great job in the end to keep the composure, got the try at the end and the mistakes of Kenya led us to victory.”
With the crowd firmly behind them, the German squad remains determined to seize the opportunity and secure their first-ever appearance in the World Rugby Sevens Series. “Every family is here, contributing to our performance. It’s in the heart. It’s such an amazing feeling to have the crowd at our back,” Umeh expressed.
As the HSBC Sevens Challenger Series heads toward the semi-finals, Germany’s resilient performance has set the stage for a thrilling showdown against Hong Kong China, with the winner cementing their spot in the Madrid promotional play-offs.
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