Kenya: Defending Series Champions KCB Win Season Opening Kabeberi Sevens

By Timothy Olobulu

Nairobi — National Sevens Circuit defending champions KCB RFC got off their title defense campaign on a high, edging out Strathmore Leos 12-10 to clinch the season opening George Mwangi Kabeberi Sevens at the RFUEA Ground on Sunday.

A closely contested final saw the bankers hold on for the win in a game of two halves.

"It was a very competitive tournament and if you see teams like Strathmore making the final then you know that people are really working hard. It is going to be very interesting moving forward because it is a marathon. We are hungry for success and this one is gone, now we look at what is ahead," said KCB Sevens head coach Dennis Mwanja.

Mwanja's charges got into the final on the right gear and led 12-0 at the break. Bob Muhati went over the chalk for the opening try with Levi Amunga adding the extras to give the bankers a 7-0 lead.

They were on course once again when Jacob Ojee crossed over for the second try, with the conversion sailing wide.

However, Strathmore came back with more hunger in the second half with Brunson Madigu pulling a try back. Joseph Ayiro also crossed over as they went to within two points but at the end, it was the lack of conversions for both tries that haunted their aim for a maiden series win.

To get to the final, KCB saw off Menengai Oilers 17-12 while Strathmore waded off two-time Series champions Homeboyz 15-10.

Meanwhile, Oilers claimed third place with a 26-5 win over Homeboyz. Hosting team Mwamba RFC won the fifth place trophy after beating Masinde Muliro University 24-5 while Kenya Harlequin won the Challenge Trophy after edging out Kenyatta University side BlakBlad 7-0.

This article originally appeared in Capital FM