By, Obel Ochino (@Ochinot)
The National Secondary Schools Sevens Championships will be held as part of the term 2A games on Friday 21st and Saturday 22ndJune, at the Nakuru High School. This is the first time that the sevens games will be held during the second term.
The games were switched from their normal first term slot and switched with the longer version of the game. Traditionally 15s has always been played during the second term alongside school competitions run by the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) like Prescott Damu Changa and Damu Pevu.
Coaches and players alike are having a hard time juggling between playing 15s and sevens. This situation could have affected some team’s chances who opted to focus on one version of the game. Perhaps the organizers should align their competitions with the KRU calendar.
Whatever the case, this year’s edition promises to be just as exciting as previous years. You can be sure club scouts and national selectors will be on hand to witness the fresh young talent coming through. Players like Dan Sikuta, David Ambunya, Fabian Orlando, Nyando Nyandigisi, Lyle Asiligwa, Mike Agevi just to mention a few have all made their names at this level and have since gone on to don the national colours.
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| Augustine Lugonzo in Action for Kakamega in 09 – (Photo – Daily Nation) |
Interestingly some seasoned campaigners are missing from this year’s roster, a testament to how much the game has grown. Nairobi school, St. Marys Nairobi, Lenana School, Maseno School, Kangaru, Meru School, Nakuru high and Musingu all fell by the wayside as the going got tough. Here’s a look at the pools:
Pool A
Kakamega
Moi Sirgoi
Alliance
Malindi
Kakamega are the top seeds and tournament favourites heading into these games. They will be going for a rare double after clinching the 15s title last term. They are favourites to top this pool with the battle for second being a contest between debutants Moi Sirgoi and Alliance, with the latter having a slight edge. Malindi may just lack what it takes to make it out of this pool but then again you never know in 7s.
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| Kakamega High in action in last term’s 15s Games (Photo – MOR) |
Pool B
St. Peter’s Mumias
Strathmore
Kiambu High School
Kibirichia
St. Peters Mumias are seeded top in this pool and after emerging second to Kakamega in the Trans Nzoia regional competition one would back them to emerge top from this pool. Strathmore are undergoing a rejuvenation of sorts and beat all odds to emerge the winners of Nairobi County, beating Nairobi School in the final. They again just did enough to edge out Nairobi school at the regional championships to book a ticket to the nationals.
Kiambu High are enjoying a rich vein of form in the Prescott and the fact that they qualified at the expense of Mangu means they cannot be underrated. Kibirichia emerged from the old Eastern province at the expense of both Kangaru and Meru school. The verdict is that this is an open pool and anyone can go through.
Pool C
St. Mary’s Yala
Laiser Hill
Simotwo
St. Georges
St. Mary’s Yala are top seeds and favourites to go through from this pool, being seasoned campaigners and consistent producers of some of the top rugby talent in the country over the years. Laiser Hill should complete the top two with the battle for who tops the pool being an interesting tie. Simotwo will be looking to cause an upset and both Yala and Laiser should be careful when facing this side from the Rift Valley. St Georges from the coast unfortunately will be out of their depth.
Pool D
Homabay
Menengai
Chogoria
Kabarnet
This should be another interesting pool. Debutants Homabay will be fancying their chances after denying rugby power house Maseno a berth at this year’s championships. They are seeded top with Menegai, Chogoria and Kabarnet completing the roster. Little is known about the prowess of the teams in this pool but the fact that they qualified for the nationals at the expense of traditional rugby power houses like Maseno, Nakuru High and Kangaru serves for some mouth-watering fixtures. Anyone could qualify for the main cup from this pool.
It promises to be an exciting two days of rugby and the with the rugby Sevens world cup just under two weeks away, will serve as an exciting warm up for these young players who aspire to follow in the footsteps of those who have featured at this level and gone on to fly our flag. May the best team win.
