Heros to Zeros

A year ago, Kenya were the toast of the Sevens world. From world beating performances over all teams in the circuit to now doing nothing. Last year they even got invited for the Abbotsford Rugby Sevens in Canada which they won with a substandard team and even got the MVP of the event. To crown it all, two of our players were invited to play for an international Samurai Select side that played in the moneyed Middlesex Sevens. Followed were endorsements for products like Nokia and others.

This year, I wonder. Are we going to defend the Abbotsford event? Have we been training for it? Are we training for the Commonwealth Games? I wish them well!

Directorships for Sale?

How do you get there

When do you get there

How do you know it

When do you feel it

That all work you have done

And that you have borne the bane

Is now giving returns

That is just not pittance?

Sadly, the best run federation in the country is just another hotbed of who knows who? Scratch my back and I scratch yours? Decline at your own peril, for I will show you how. I received an interesting e-mail that chronicled just how easy it is to become a director, remain a director and also gain at your work place!

In the formative year of the Super Series, the idea was good and we all bought in. Unfortunately, no sponsors bought in. Until one individual convinced an entire group of companies, that it was worth their while. And the Jogoo Rugby Super Series was born. Next year, the said individual was co-opted into the board and the following year, elected as a director. The saviour of Kenyan Rugby.

Another tale is told of an individual, who managed to convince the security firm where he worked, that sponsoring rugby was a good thing, and they provided security services for the Safari Sevens for free. By next year, the said individual was a director, despite the fact that he had failed to be elected initially, but by next year, the carrot of the sponsorship was still dangling, and elected to the board he was.

It has been common knowledge that a major Telco was interested in the Safari Sevens for years. And how to get them more interested? Get MJ's blue eyed boy onto the board, and get him to push it. What else he did on the board, only he knows, but he was quickly used and dumped by the same board!

Another one is told, of a gym for use, then join the board. Two years later, and no other benefit gleaned, out goes the chap! Though the gym remained.

So for those of you interested in getting onto the board, I have just showed the way. Bring money to the union, irrespective of returns and you will be guaranteed a place on the board. Forget glowing CV's, and track records in rugby management, administration and development. If you have nothing to bring to be eaten the table, that leaves you out.

And now the most interesting. Since their tenures as directors are fast coming to a close, two directors are looking to lay their legacy. This they intend to do in two ways. First, by bringing a huge sponsorship to the Union, second, by bringing revenue and recognition to their clubs, albeit belatedly. Of course they are the individuals behind the whole thing playing out and using miserable pawns to do their donkey work. Let them dangle whatever carrot in front of the greedy union, but always remember, the clubs are ultimately the UNION.

Do vote RED or GREEN on our little poll on the right.

Is the KRU Fulfilling It's Mandate?

Without too much ado...

Section 5 of the KRU Constitution states in Section 5.1 part 5.1.1. that

5.1 The main objects and powers of the Union are and shall be:

5.1.1 To promote, foster, encourage, control and develop the Game of Rugby Union throughout the Republic of Kenya.

I jump to 5.1.6

5.1.6 To do all such other things as the Union may consider necessary or desirable to promote the interests of the Rugby and the Union.

Based on these two clauses, one wonders what is happening. Is the written law subservient to what is going on on the ground? Are individuals objects and powers greater than that of the constitution?

And with this as the question, is it time to give them a red card... or a green card to continue what they are doing. Poll question on the right.

Kabeberi and Christie 7's scrapped from Western Union Sevens Circuit

Mwamba and Quins have begun to feel the wrath of KRFU as the two clubs
sevens tournaments have been tossed out of the new Western Union
Sevens Circuit.

The architects of the move KRFU Secretary General Sabwa, GM Auka,
Director Ombisi and Development Officer Fred Ollows moved swiftly with
the backing of the sponsor to lock out the two outspoken clubs.

Mwamba have over the years been vocal about the way they have been
(mis)treated by the KRFU especially as their playes have often been
forced to choose between club and country to the detriment of the
clubs officials. Kulabu had hoped with Rombo on the board this would
take a new direction. It definitely has as Rombo was kept in the dark
on this move.

KRFU clique have played their fast card in what seems to be a move to
clip Michael Muthee Mwangi's run for the chairmanship next year. The
clique also hope that Rombo in annoyance will quit the Board as
hurdles being kept in his way as he tries to carry out his duties as
15's director. Kulabu will meet in the next few days and chart the
next course of action.

Quins on the other hand are being punished presumably for the failed
Heinekken sponsorship during the recent Bamburi Super Rugby Series and
their continued association with KBL over the renovated clubhouse.
Also the usual wars have continued escalated as Quins Feeldog Jalango
has continously kept the KRFU on their toes since assuming leadership
of Quins.

Impala and KCB have already been promised as the new additions to the
circuit. Impala will want to use it as a fundraiser (sic) for
Singapore Sevens while KCB are looking for other income which does not
directly coming from the bank which will be in the control of the
officials. With Wangila and Owiro James out of the way a cash cow
opportunity arises.

It must be clealry noted that 2 officials/directors of the Board with
affilliation to Impala and KCB directly are employees of Postbank
Western Union. These are directors William Ombisi and Innocent Moturi.

Need Kulabu say any more? It is a well known fact of late that KRFU is
a mismanaged organisation especially where sponsors money is
concerned. 101.7 FM is a clear example.

Slap in face of KRFU as Ayimba opens Rugby School

In what could be the begining of a well scripted exit plan Benjamin
Ayimba with the support and backing of Homeboyz CEO Myke Rabar has
inaugrated and opened a rugby school at Jamhuri Park. Congratulations.

Ayimba has had an uneasy relationship with several top Union officials
and it is therefore no surprise that he is slowly and carefully
packing his bags. Unconfirmed reports have it that KRFU Chairman
Richard Omwela is a silent backer of this venture. Omwela has stood by
Ayimba despite calls for his sacking which have well been documented
in the media.

An open secret is that Mitch Ocholla of Strathmore with the backing of
Fred Ollows, William Ombisi, Fred Odhiambo, Oscar Osir and Frank
Sabwa is being primed to take over from Ayimba. The immediate plan is
to have 'Mojo' as Mitch is commonly referred to accompany the Kenya
Sevens team to the Commonwealth Games in place of Felix Ochieng who
will be hoped to be unavailable due to work commitments.

Weekly Ramble

I almost did not do one this week as my colleagues have aptly vented on my behalf. So I'll be brief.. he he.

What do we really want as a rugby playing nation? Are we a World Power in the sport? Are we even an African Power in the sport? The best we have come is third in a CAR competition that had weird qualification process that UGANDA won! What then is our rush to prove we are a force to reckon with in World or even African Rugby? What have we put in place in order to have such high expectations? If our only measure of how good our rugby is is an annual fixture against Uganda, and now Zimbabwe, both countries ranked lower than us in the IRB rankings then we are sunk. Ruggerbug asked, why spend so much money to go and get thumped in some obscure province in South Africa? 3 years ago, we beat Namibia on home soil. Namibia ended up winning the World Cup qualifiers and are New Zealand bound. This past weekend, they won the IRB Nations Cup and are now ranked 20th in the World! Are we looking at what these guys are doing as opposed to what we are doing? Just a fan also queries the use of the Rugby Super Series. I tend to differ on that one, but I get his point. To what end is the Super Series if merely for selection? If the whole process does not lead to improved training and performance by the National team then it is all in vain!

I promised to be brief. Calls are now resounding that heads must roll. From calls that it's time for the coach to move on, to players must answer, I fully believe the buck stops somewhere else. If all has not been put in place for the technical team to work in a conducive atmosphere and the players not being adequately compensated or remunerated for their efforts, I do not believe that to be the answer. So who will we pick? The coach who's team won the Kenya Cup, the Super Series, the National Sevens Circuit, or our definition of the seniormost coach in Kenya (your interpretation of that is as good as mine)? My call, it is time for the board to admit it has no idea what modern rugby is about and step aside and let the clubs select people who understand. The events of the last two weeks or so have been damning testament of this!

Will the real Edward Rombo please stand up.

We know you are only a few months into your job as director of 15’s but we are yet to see your input.
The last two weekends have been a revelation of how out of depth we are in 15’s rugby.
Sadly this was reflected both on and off the pitch. How can you host an international fixture and not have ball boys and sufficient balls to go round. Even more criminal was the lack of a sound system to play the national anthems before the game.
Do you know how much was collected at the gate? How does the union intends to spend this money?
We hope such shambolic off pitch preparations for international fixtures are not the inputs you have in store for us going forward.
A word of advice, please source for the Ugandan national anthem on C.D while on the away leg of the Elgon Cup and ensure that a sound system will be in place to play the pre-tested C.D
Or better still; get singer to give a good rendition of the anthems, backed up by the said C.D as is the trend in most other international rugby fixtures. Also a few balls can be borrowed from clubs and arrangements for sufficient ball boys to be available for the game made before hand.
But knowing the union this would be a good excuse for a union official to fly KQ to Uganda for a couple days in the “quest” of the said C.D

Team/player preparations for our international fixtures have been more shambolic, I believe. How can we only spend one or two weeks in preparation for fixtures that were known six months ago and try shift blame to the technical bench and the players for a disjointed showing? That is plain inane. Unconfirmed reports have it that Uganda have been in preparations for the last couple of months as a unit. I have no idea why we spend millions and waste a whole lot of time in a carnival exercise of selecting players that last longer than their training, when at the start of it all the top 30 players were known to all give and take one or two new faces.

Our best 30 or so players were known by January Mr Rombo. Their faces, composition, form or skills did change by much in the entire two months that was spent in their selection (BRSS) even next year after another selections we will still have the same faces give or take an inclusion/omission or two. Give the coaches this time instead to develop their skills and playing patterns as a unit. If BRSS has to go on for its money minting reasons then please have the national team then play as a franchise as it is a platform where they can get coaching since we have no funds otherwise.
These top players should be contracted and put in training programs that run the whole year. This was not done and the results are clear to all.
These are not a bunch of professionals who are involved in game every day and can be expected to gel as a unit after one or two sessions.

Mr Rombo, a bunch of guys with great potential stagnate throughout the year and are expected to play rugby against Mpumalanga after 3 or 4 sessions of training as a team. You can only gain experience from such fixtures if you prepare solidly for them(What a joke and waste of tickets)
How Zimbabwe a country on its death knees stricken by a financial meltdown, and ravaged by disease outbreaks, coupled by mass desertion of its people can still raise a team that runs down Kenya and loses narrowly is a mystery.
Uganda with its immensely shallow player base and even leaner union financial muscle, has managed to spend the little they have prudently and are consistently come up with better drilled and committed sides than ours, and has even attracted Kenyan players to switch nationality.

Mr Rombo, come 3rd of July, Uganda will focus their game to massacre us in the lineouts and in forward open play, their backs will receive very clean and fast balls from a great platforms set by their forwards. If their backs get it right this time they should win. The backs will also employ a well drilled drift defense and come out with a set of attacking and not defensive backs. They will clean out, theirs and our rucks.
They are not afraid to shout to world on how they intend play on the day, because their coaches have always had a consistent playing pattern which they have tirelessly worked on.
We know this, you know this and they know this. The question is what you will do about it. We have no game plan and rely on individual brilliance in a team sport! We pride ourselves with our backs and yet they are yet to display any simple or complex moves that have been calculated and worked on.
Zimbabwe had calculated backline moves and sliced us open at will. Our only move was Nato back in to Simiyu which was read and snuffed out with relative ease. You cannot have a backline move that only involves two players!!! And insist on it for 80minutes? Rombo????
Is it the coaching? Though i think they are clueless i cannot nail it on them this time. They have the perfect excuse. What are they expected to achieve in the time and with the resources availed to them. (3-4 training sessions!!!!) If we win this tri nation thing, it will be an outcome of pure chance and luck as opposed to hard work, commitment and technical acuity.

Mr Rombo i expect that you will come up with a respected competent and representative technical review panel that will monitor, advice, report on and review: the, training, selection, preparation of the team and all matches and results of the team and bench in a methodical manner. Such a panel should start work immediately to review our performance on a game by game basis in preparation for next year’s international fixtures.

Mr Rombo you cannot buy text books for only a select few of your children and expect them all to perform in the same manner. If the 15s team and bench cannot get contracts like their 7s brothers are getting you will be letting down the sport and the blame will lay squarely on your office. If you think you cannot guarantee this please step down and allow someone else to do this as it is the only way we can guarantee the commitment of our players towards training and making the personal sacrifices required. Match allowances that are only sufficient for a couple of drinks defeat their purpose and intent.
If the divide in compensation and attention between the two codes continues to increase, I foresee a situation where all forwards will all attempt to loose their core pack playing competitiveness in pursuit of the benefits that accrue to playing sevens.
I know a stupid response from the union could be to decrease or stagnate benefits to the 7’s side, instead of doing the hard work of looking for funding for 15’s to bridge the gap. 15’s needs funding now. Its your work to get it, where from? We don’t care. Just do it.

Mr Rombo, I have no idea why you sent a union sponsored cameraman to Arusha instead of, to Kampala for the Zim Vs Ug game or better yet two of them to both venues, another obvious case of wrapped priorities, and that’s if any exist in the first place.

All in all I hope that you will be as ambitious, dedicated, passionate and calculating as you were in your days as a player, when carrying out your responsibilities as director of 15’s. Your legacy is, as is always, a work in progress till death. Fortunately or unfortunately the human memory is conditioned to remember failures more than it does achievement. Don’t soil and destroy the good you have accumulated so far by leading Kenya 15’s Rugby into its greatest error “pun intended “of disorganization and mediocrity with you at the helm.

If the results and happens of the past few weeks are a reflection of your leadership, God help us all. If not, get the eff into your office and effing start working

THE BUCK STOPS WITH YOU ALONE MR ROMBO, AND NO WHERE ELSE.

Something Not Right

Said many times

In different words and forms

Some will call it a bird

Others call it a fish

But what we know

It's usually a poor attempt

To hide one's purpose

Starts out as honourable

And becomes a privilege

Pretty soon you call it fun

And say how great

But as I said before

Once it's in the open

Everyone will know

The sayings I'm talking about - "If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then what is it?", "If is looks like a fish, and smells like a fish, then it is a ...."

Coach Michael "Tank" Otieno has been set up big time. By those too cowardly to tell him in his face that his time is up! This is not the first time. We have seen it before. Almost exactly four years ago, then Coach Thomas Odundo was shown the door after a series of dismal performances. One, the then highest loss to any other team, an 8 -100 loss to potential Super 12 side the Southern Spears, followed closely by a humiliating loss in a World Cup Qualifier to Namibia 12-84. Correspondence in my possession shows the trend of events leading up to these results and his eventual dismissal and uncannily, it is playing out in a similar fashion. From an ill prepared team for the Zimbabwe Victoria Cup clash and now, a meaningless trip to South Africa to play a Currie Cup side, still without adequate preparation.. something's not right. Initially I thought the entire trip was funded by the hosts and hence did not see anything wrong to utilise the opportunity. But it has now come to light that "free" tickets from sponsor Kenya Airways were used for the trip!! Wouldn't it have been better to do a training camp for 8-10 days in South Africa instead of submitting ourselves to such humiliation. Or better still, travel to some other country, closer to our level, that we would gain more from?

Since the 8-100 loss to the Spears, what has really changed in Kenyan Rugby. Have our players become fitter? Have they become stronger? Have they become faster? Have they become better rugby players? What is our measure of this? Not that the technical team are blameless or angels either. DM always berates them for insisting on selecting players instead of coaching them and that has not been any different this year. I do not think inclusion of the sevens players will have changed the score line much. For modern rugby is all systems and patterns, neither of which we have!

I am watching events unfold carefully. Someone is already primed and been offered the job of National Coach and is waiting in the sidelines. Going by the four year old script in my hands, I can already identify the individual and just ticking off my checklist. |Interesting times ahead. Do have a good week.

Weekend Results

Mpumalanga Pumas 101 Kenya 7

Kenya A 27 Uganda A 13

Victoria Cup
Uganda 25 Zimbabwe 15

Weekend Games

Weekend action sees two Kenyan fifteen a side teams in action, I think the first time in a very long time. Kenya proper plays the curtain raiser for the Springboks vs. Italy game tomorrow in Mpumalanga province South Africa and coach Michael "Tank" Otieno put in a cameo appearance on top rugby programme "Boots and All" on Supersport last night. He was cut short in his brief speech but it is a great honour and a privilege for our country to have been invited and to get that opportunity. All I can say about that game is that it will be a good learning experience for us. The match will be against the Mpumalanga Pumas who are playing in the Curry Cup to begin in a couple of weeks.

Kenya "A" plays in the second tier CAR "South" Competition that kicked off on Saturday. They played Mauritius and won convincingly. Tomorrow they face Uganda "A" in the penultimate match. I'm not reading too much into this game either. Other than we have managed to expose a further lot of 22 players and 3 technical team to international rugby.

Do have a "vuvuzela" full weekend.. he he. And please take time to vote in our polls on the right.

Weekly Ramble

I've been saying it for the last 3 years and people come out with guns blazing. Suddenly, it is plain to see. The KRFU has no vision for Rugby in Kenya! If last weekend was anything to go by, then we now know what their interests are. For the annual accounts to have a qualifying remark that the Directors of the Union get no financial consideration for their responsibilities, it leaves more questions than it gives answers. I have always asked, why is it that if the job is so stressful, no one is ready to leave? Watching the VIP stand during the Safari Sevens, I saw several people being cleared for not being VIP enough, only for a senior union official to let in two personal friends for his and ensure they were undisturbed (until it started raining of course).. but I digress as usual.

A Test Match is the highest level of rugby played between two nations. Flags are raised and national anthems are played. An honour reserved for heads of state and government. The teams are representatives of their countries and as such are awarded that honour. But to us, no.. even the Kenya Cup final was better prepared for. No public address system, no national anthems on tape/cd, inappropriately kitted players (giving mileage to a sponsor who has long ceased to be one!) the list was endless. Add to that no media to publicise the match and high entrance charges, one would really wonder if this was the first such clash in six years!

But oh, I am being mean. The fifteens team has no sponsor (reword to "we have not secured a sponsor for the fifteens team"). The sevens and fifteens teams have different management, different KPI's, different contracts (eehhhh) and everything different. We are unique in being the only country in the world that has a different union for sevens and another for fifteens (ooopps). I meant to say that despite it being one week after Safari Sevens with a full house of sponsors and a massive crowd, that money is not available for fifteens rugby as it is a sevens affair. Wait, I'm getting confused. I have always said, why spend Ksh. 70M in 3 days and then don't play any rugby the whole year! Something is seriously amiss here.

I am angry, I don't write well when I'm angry. Have a good week and pray for our leaders. I leave you with two words that can sort out 35M of the Safari Sevens budget. Facility sharing!! And by that I don't mean hiring Impala grounds for the village. Oh, and The Real KRFU's favorite, we need to see the accounts for Kenya Rugby Limited. Seeing one line in the accounts "Grant from Kenya Rugby Limited" makes no sense as a child does not give the father money.. ever. At least not where I come from.

Good News for Safaricom Safari Sevens : Namibia's Windhoek Sevens fortunes nosedive

THE dispute between Trustco Group International (TGI) and the Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) is headed to court.

The latest development is said to make it very unlikely that an international sevens rugby tournament will be held in Namibia later this year.

It is understood that Trustco is suing the NRU for N$3,7 million, an amount alleged to be what Trustco spent on last year's international sevens tournament.

The N$3,7 million will be in addition to about N$1 million owed to service providers from last year's tournament.

Trustco is allegedly planning to use a termination clause in its sponsorship agreement with the NRU which states that when the agreement is cancelled, any debt incurred during the agreement will be the responsibility of the NRU.

The Namibian has it on good authority that Trustco recently served the NRU with a legal notice, terminating their relationship and requesting payment of N$3,7 million.

The notice came after an alleged deadline set for the end of May, for the NRU to get International Rugby Board sanctioning for this year's envisaged tournament, was not met.

It appears that the demand to get IRB sanctioning, despite the IRB having approved last year's tournament, was an added condition to the possible hosting of this year's tournament, despite the two parties having signed a six-year contract.

It is believed that Trustco put up the precondition in case it had to pay off the debt incurred during last year's tournament. Some of the service providers are taking legal action against the NRU despite an agreement that Trustco was going to cover all the costs of the tournament.

Safari Hotel is one of the service providers owed money from last year's tournament. The hotel is owed N$800 000.

According to sources close to the NRU, the IRB sanctioning was delayed since the IRB had questions relating to the agreement. The IRB is said to be concerned about the protection of the NRU in the deal.

The initial agreement signed last year stated that Trustco would be responsible for the business side of the tournament, marketing, branding, television rights and running the financing of the tournament.

The NRU's responsibility was to invite the teams and ensure that the stadium was ready for the tournament.

Trustco is now demanding N$3,7 million from the rugby union, although sources close to the NRU stated that no audited financial report of the tournament was made available to prove whether Trustco really had paid that much for the tournament.

The NRU has allegedly requested more details pertaining to the suit and how TGI arrived at that figure.

Things started falling apart in February when Trustco Managing Director Quinton van Rooyen accused the NRU in a letter of breach of contract and demanded the immediate repayment of a loan of N$228 000.

The loan relates to air travel fees for the Namibian sevens rugby team to Dubai in December last year owed to Sky Travel. Van Rooyen at the time accused the NRU of being in breach of contract for "incurring expenses in our name without our consent".

In the letter, Van Rooyen accused the NRU of failing to pay N$140 000 to Trustco by the end of January as part of a N$228 000 loan it owed to Trustco.

Trustco at the time also threatened not to pay any outstanding debts that emanated from their relationship, including the September rugby sevens tournament.
Relevant Links

Rugby insiders said Trustco had admitted responsibility for the Sky Travel debt and had asked that invoices be made out to Trustco and not the NRU. The two parties have since been in talks but they yielded no positive results.

The two last year entered into a six-year, N$18 million deal aimed at promoting sevens rugby in Namibia. Trustco had committed N$3 million a year for the NRU, of which N$2,5 million would go towards the hosting of an annual international sevens tournament and the rest for the national sevens team.

NRU CEO Sakkie Mouton confirmed that there was correspondence between the two parties. He added that NRU was reviewing the matter and would make a public statement as soon as its executive had made a decision.

No comment could be obtained from Trustco since Van Rooyen was out of the country.

KRFU not interested in fifteens national team

The ugly side of the KRFU once again reared its big head on Saturday
as Kenya played Zimbabwe in a TEST match.

This was not the case to be as the game was poorly (non-existent)
marketed and in the end poorly attended. Scores of people were not
even aware that there was a game. Others thought it had even been
called off.

Reading the Nation's report one also sees how pampared the national
7's team is with cotton wool while the fifteens is plastered with
dung. It is a struggle to play fifteens rugby for ones country Kenya.
Nobody cares.

Uganda and Zimbabwe will make mincemeat of Kenya unless something
seriously changes or happens. Some of the money made during Safaricom
Safari Sevens can be used for the team who wore Orange shirts instead
of Kenya Airways shirts.

Kenya will play Uganda on the 26 June in Kampala straight after flying
in from a training tour of South Africa.

Update: Kenya vs. Zimbabwe 12-06-2010 Kenya 11 Zimbabwe 10

Kenya overcame a furious onslaught from Zimbabwe to win the opening encounter of the Victoria Cup by a solitary point. Kenya trailed all the way to the last fifteen minutes when replacement Moses Kola converted the all important penalty to take the lead. They then absorbed and applied their own pressure to hang on for the all important victory.

Do have a good weekend. Soccer mode now!

Kenya vs. Zimbabwe 12-06-2010

Kenya takes on Zimbabwe today in the opening match of the Victoria Cup. The Victoria Cup is a three nation affair with Uganda being the third team. The teams will play each other on a home and away basis with the winner of the series being the team with the most points. The matches pitting perennial rivals Kenya and Uganda will also double up as Elgon Cup matches, with the winner on points aggregate taking the trophy.

History has it that Kenya has played Zimbabwe ten times, with Zimbabwe winning eight of those ties. The last three games has seen Kenya win two and Zimbabwe one, all won on home soil. Zimbabwe was a rugby powerhouse in the past, the best in Africa, outside of South Africa. They have represented Africa twice in Rugby World Cups (1987 and 1991). Their fall in standards can be directly attributed to the political situation in Zimbabwe as their team was composed mainly of white players. And in the same period, Kenyan standards have risen considerably. This leaves the battle at hand to be extremely mouth watering. Kenya are currently ranked 43 in the IRB World Rankings with Zimbabwe at 47. How do I see this pan out then?

The game will be an intense battle of the forwards. In the past Kenya avoided playing a forwards oriented game. But in the past decade or so, realisation has dawned that you cannot win a game without dominating in the forwards. And that is where this game will be won or lost. I do not see us being very strong in the set pieces, for reasons I will talk about next week, however I see us being very forceful in the loose, and in the support play. Zimbabwe will be strong in the set pieces, but will battle in the loose as they tend to play a closer game than ours. The backs will be fairly evenly matched. The absence of the sevens players will not really be felt but one or two would be useful.

Sheer home ground advantage will give us this one by 8 points.

I have been recovering from various afflictions and ailments this past week. By next week I hope to be at my usual best. Disappointment though that one weekend you're in a comfortable room in Panafric Hotel and next weekend you're sharing a bed in Shalom Guest House. That is Rugby In Kenya for you! Children of a lesser god methinks.

New Polls on the Right

Please take time to vote in our new polls on the Right. We're experimenting with a different layout as our other one had be used by some other funny blogs as well..

Kenya Team for Victoria Opener Named

Coach Michael "Tank" Otieno and his technical team have named the side to face Zimbabwe in the opening match of the Victoria Cup on Saturday. Several players who were in action for Shujaa over the weekend in the Safaricom Sevens have been included. Only Ben Nyambu from the victorious Kenya squad is in the side. Suffice to say the players need their rest, and I hope the technical team will build up from this game and not go into a panic and start chopping and changing as has been their norm.

The Squad

1. Daniel Kiptoo (Quins),

2. Vincent Ongera (Quins),

3. Joel Ng'anga (Quins),

4. Wilson K'Opondo (Machine),

5. Michael Aung (Nondies, Vice Captain),

6. Ben Nyambu (Nondies),

7. David Mogere (Quins),

8. Paul Oimbo (Impala),

9. Peter Mutai (KCB),

10. Nato Simiyu (Impala),

11. Peter Abuoga (Quins),

12. Patrice Agunda (Quins),

13. Innocent Simiyu (Impala, Captain),

14. Victor Sudi (Quins),

15. Vincent Mose (Impala),

16. Edwin Alubaka (KCB),

17. Nzioka Muema (Impala),

18. Tony Mutai (Quins),

19. Andrew Amonde (KCB),

20. Charles Kanyi (Nondies),

21. David Ambunya (Quins),

22. Naftaly Bondo (Quins)

SafariCom Safari Sevens bagged by Kenya

Kenya 17 Emerging South Africa 12

Schools Provide Thrilling Start to Safaricom Sevens

The Schools' and Women's competitions opened day one of the 2010 Safaricom Sevens. The schools competitions saw teams from as far as Zimbabwe as well as neighbours Uganda and Tanzania join the fray. In the end Nairobi, Nyanza, Uganda and Western survived the cut and will play in the semi finals. The first semi final at 8.00 a.m. pits Nairobi against Nyanza and will be followed by the clash between Uganda and Western.

Enjoy your weekend.

Teams for Safaricom Sevens Named

There are no major changes in the team to play as Kenya in the Safaricom Sevens this weekend. Sidney Ahioya and Benedict Nyambu step back into the side. Innocent Simiyu is carrying an injury obtained in London and will not take part in this edition of the Safari Sevens. Dennis Muhanji moves to the Shujaa side where he is sure to get more game time. Interesting to note is that some "academy" players are missing from either side and makes you wonder if their selection to the team was a mistake! I have always advocated for and will here put in my two cents... I would have liked to see the winner of the National Sevens Circuit in the Safari Sevens.

Kenya Shujaa Sevens

1. Collins Injera - Mwamba RFC
2. Lavin Asego - Mwamba RFC
3. Gibson Weru - Nakuru RFC
4. Victor Sudi - Kenya Harlequin FC
5. Leon Adongo - Kenya Harlequin FC
6. Humphrey Kayange [Captain] - Mwamba RFC
7. Sidney Ashioya - Kenya Harlequin FC
8. Dennis Mwanja - Kenya Commercial Bank RFC
9. Brian Nyikuli - Impala RFC
10. Benedict Nyambu - Nondescript RUFC
11. Horace Otieno - Mwamba RFC
12. Biko Adema - Nondescripts RFC

Management

1. George Odhiambo - Physio

2. Benjamin Ayimba - Coach

3. Oscar Osir - Manager

4. Geoffrey Kimani - Sprint Coach for both teams

5. Bill Odongo - Team Liaison

Shujaa

1. Wilson Kopondo

2. Andrew Amonde

3. Dennis Muhanji

4. Patrice Agunda

5. Allan Onyango

6. Peter Abuoga

7. Naftali Bondo

8. Ken Isindu

9. Oscar Ouma

10. Vincent Mose

11. Nato Simiyu

12. Charles Kanyi

Management

Newton Ongalo - Manager

Felix Ochieng - Coach

Chris Makachia - Physio

Philip Mwenesi - Team Liaison

All the best to both teams.

World's Most Prolific Try Scorer for Safari Sevens?

Santiago Gomez Cora - World's Most Prolific Try Scorer

Not to be. Maybe they should have called themselves "Les Pampas" a la "Les Bleaus" to avoid confusing the general public. I've gone through the list of the Argentina team for the Safari Sevens and compared with last weekend's line-up in Edinburgh, Scotland and was disappointed not to see the name of one Santiago Gomez Cora. Then I compared all the other names and was now not disappointed. Year after year we hear Fiji are coming, France are coming only to get second or even 3rd string sides. The only team to ever give us a full side was Samoa and I still remember Mikaele Pessamino, then playing as a forward giving us a fantastic display of running rugby. But anyway, we're used to being taken for a ride and never complain. Our money is there for the taking so why whine!

BREAKING NEWS: DataMiner to Play in Safari Sevens

Pals as we are, though unbeknownst to each other

This I have just heard, and had to share

Many will wonder, many will marvel

And many will come to know as well

Whether this man DataMiner, is more than just air!

To keep up the mystery

And keep us all guessing

Nothing more will I say

About this great day

It will not be his first time

Nor will it be his last

And that my friends is all

I am willing to tell!

Do have a great time and the Safari Sevens. I know I will!

Safaricom Sevens Final Draw

The final draw for this year's edition of the Safaricom Sevens has been released. The late withdrawals by some sides have caused the draw to change slightly. International invitational side Samurai joins Kenya in Pool A and will be another team to watch.

POOL A	POOL B	POOL C	POOL D
Kenya	Emerging Boks	Argentina	Hamilton Raiders
Les Bleu	Bristol	Zimbabwe	Ponsonby
Samurai	Namibia	Grenoble	Uganda
Zambia	Tanzania	Shujaa	Rwanda

Kenya will launch their campaign against The Samurai at 11.20 a.m. on Saturday. We wish them well. We will release the order of play later in the week.

Tickets for the event are available as follows

Innscor (Galitos) outlets
Galito’s @ Oilibya Ngong Rd
Galito’s @ Oilibya Bellevue
Galito’s @ Oilibya Bomas
Galito’s @ Kobil Valley Arcade
Galito’s @ Oilibya Limuru Rd
Galitos Union towers (City Centre Opp. Hilton)
Safaricom Retail Centers at
Westgate
Sarit Center
I&M (Kenyatta Avenue)
Kimathi Street,
Village Market
Shankardass House - Moi Avenue
Day Charges
Friday 4th June 2010- Ksh 300
Saturday 5th June 2010- Ksh 1000
Sunday 6th June 2010- Ksh 1000
Season Ticket (Valid for all three days)- Ksh 1700

USA 'set aside' $200 million to develop Rugby Sevens!

USA 'set aside' $200 million to develop Rugby Sevens!

http://rugbysevens.nbcsports.com

Not true Mr. Omwela certainly not.