It is a sunny afternoon, not so hot, with a cool breeze blowing subtly past periodically, just the perfect weather for rugby. As you walk through the ‘pearly gates’ like the many greats have since 1902, you are taken aback by the brilliant sight that hits you.
A few meters up the winding tarmac road, painted by fresh petals from the majestic trees that engulf it, you see your destination on the right, but you are not yet there. The ‘Do not step on the grass’ sign, just as you see what looks like a path, confirms the same. You’ll have to go meet the iconic clock tower, before you reach the holy grounds.
Just as you are taking all this in under the clock tower, a sea of blue, both sky and navy, fills the area and heads towards the grounds. You let it pass, then follow suit, slowly. The walk you are now making has been made by the likes of Edward Rombo, the Simiyus (Namcos and Nato), and more recently Philip Wamae, Kennedy Moseti, Ken Andola and Tony Owuor, just to mention a few.
You get past what looks like a cage, don’t worry even we don’t know what it is meant for. You keep going and are now in the middle of an athletics track. Just before you get there, the sea that has now surrounded the holy grounds, breaks off at your left and moves towards what looks like another two rugby pitches over a shallow valley.
Then they start clapping as if on cue, *clap, clap..clap clap clap clap, ‘Eeeh, aaah, MACHINE!’ The chant keeps going, you now rush to see what is going on. Then beyond the small valley, comes up, a band of gallant warriors, focused, pumped, ready for battle as they jog towards the holy ground. The chants get louder as the warriors get closer…it is now deafening! You could hear it from a mile out.
Welcome, you have made it to one of Africa rugby’s holy shrines, the Main samba, at the Nairobi School, you are just in luck, it is match day!
It is like nothing you have ever experienced before and no matter how many times you have been here it always feels like it is the very first time.
This weekend, rather tomorrow, will be another opportunity to experience this atmosphere, and at the biggest of match days, Nairobi School vs Lenana School.
The biggest rivalry in schools’ rugby, plays out it’s latest chapter on Saturday 9th July at the main samba from 4PM, in what on paper is a one off ‘friendly.’ We all know that there is nothing friendly when these two meet, especially on a rugby pitch.
The match is an initiative of old boys from the two sides, this will be the start of an annual meet between the perennial rivals on a rotational hosting basis. We hope that it will re ignite the annual ‘old boys’ meet, in the not so far future.
If you ever wanted to witness just how big this rivalry is, welcome to the main samba tomorrow…
KWISHA…Nimeruka Nje!!!
