Four legs done, two to go and it is time for rugby’s favourite town, now city, Nakuru, for the penultimate leg of the 2022 National sevens series, the Prinsloo sevens.
Things couldn’t be more evenly poised at the top of the series standings as we head to Nax Vegas, with KCB and Menengai Oilers separated by three points, below them, Starthmore (66), Mwamba (63) and Homeboyz (60) are in the thick of the race for that last prize money slot. So what can we expect in Nakuru?
Pool A
Homeboyz who became the fourth different winners in this year’s series after picking up the Dala title headline Pool A, where they face Catholic Monks, Kabras Sugar and Western Bulls. A tricky pool for the Djs whose biggest challenge will most probably come from the Monks who they drew against in their opening match in Kisumu.
In Kabras and Western Bulls, the Djs have a pair of unpredictable sides who on their day can turn a game on its head. I however expect Homeboyz to progress from this pool, with the race for second place being too close to call.
Pool B
Back to back cup finalists Menengai Oilers will be out to make it third time lucky at their home city as they start their campaign against MMUST, hosts Nakuru and Kisumu. This pool is what dreams are made of, pitting the two Nakuru sides early on, Oilers should be wary of especially their nemesis who will definitely be out to remind them who the big boys of the city are.
MMUST and Kisumu will be the street bystanders as the two sort out their domestics and hope to benefit from the scraps. In this pool I see the two Nakuru sides progressing.
Pool C
Series leaders and back to back third place finishers KCB take on the Ngong road trio of Quins, Impala and Nondies in what looks like a straight forward pool for the Lions.
The battle here is expected to be between the three Ngong road sides for second place, in which Nondies will start as favourites having made the cup quarter finals in the last two legs. Impala have had a shaky campaign so far, only making the quarter final once, but have managed to maintain division one status, most recently beating Quins in Kisumu to confirm that status.
Quins, who are also on two quarter final appearances, had to wait for an invite to this leg’s division one competition, after that loss to Impala and will be out to get back to their form before Dala.
Expect the battle for that second spot to go to the wire, every one of these old foes will have a point to prove!
Pool D
Mwamba RFC will be looking to keep the form they have found in the last two legs going as they face the limping Strathmore, Blak Blad and the Dala division two champions, Vihiga Granites. This is expected to be a walk in the park for both Kulabu and the Leos, with the only issue to be sorted being who finishes above the other.
As mentioned Leos and Kulabu are in the hunt for third place and come into this tournament off contrasting fortunes, while Kulabu have been on the rise in the last two legs, the title challenge that Strathmore had mounted has crumbled in the same period. Expect the Leos to give it everything to cling onto that third place.
Women’s Series
Prinsloo will serve as the last leg of the women’s series, with Mwamba sitting top of the standings on 41 points, ahead of Nakuru on 37, Northern Suburbs (36) and Yamanashi Impala (32). RuckIt (26) and Western Spears (24) wrap up the full standings.
With the series prize money courtesy of Betsafe up for grabs, expect the battle for those top three places to hit a crescendo, just imagine in Nakuru making the cup final with a chance of winning the overall series, at home!
There is only one way to paint the picture of what to expect in Nakuru…Kosa uchekwe!
KWISHA… Nimeruka Nje!!!
