Menengai Oilers are crowned 2022 Prinsloo 7s champions
After a hard sizzling contenst, Menengai Oilers became the fifth winner of a National Sevens Circuit tournament.
After five grueling rounds of the Prinsloo 7s tournament, the Oilers defeated the Strathmore Leos 12-7 in a closely contested final at the Nakuru Athletic Club in Nakuru City on Sunday 10 July 2022.
The match was tense from kickoff, both sides tentative in the early phases of play before Steve Arunga reacted quickest to a loose ball, picking it up on the bounce to score with Dennis Abukuse converting as they took a 7-0 lead into the break.
Timothy Okwemba then went over after the restart as Gibson Weru’s charges led 12-0 before they lost Geoff Ominde to the sin bin. Strathmore soon capitalized on the one-man deficit to probe the Oilers, eventually getting points on the board through Brunson Madigu’s converted try. They spurned a chance to level matters when George Ooro spilled the ball, Ominde kicking the ball out to touch seconds later as Oilers bagged the famous win, their first ever National Sevens Circuit title.
Enroute to the finals Menengai led by captain Chrispine Shitundu beat KCB 19-14 while Starhmore Leo registred a 28-5 win against Homeboyz RFC. Homeboyz managed to outlast KCB 21-10 to finish third while Kabras Sugar wound up fifth after seeing off Kenya Harlequins 14-10.
KCB RFC now eye a good outing at the Kakamega Sevens rugby tournament scheduled for July 16th and 17th 2022 in Kakamega County. The bankers finished 4th at the concluded Prinsloo Sevens tournament hosted by Nakuru RFC at the Nakuru Athletics Club.
KCB emerged winners of the George Mwangi Kabeberi Sevens in Nairobi, the team was runners-up at the Christie Sevens, third at the Driftwood Sevens in Mombasa and also third in Dala Sevens last weekend.
Speaking after the Prinsloo Sevens tournament, KCB Sevens head Coach Denis Mwanja expressed optimism in the upcoming 6th and final leg of the national Sevens circuit reckoning the boys need a solid finish to defend their title.
“It has been a bittersweet experience for us in this series. Our campaign has been marred by injuries to key players. This affected the momentum of the team and we had switch players to different positions. We also made mistakes that have proved costly. It is time for us as a team to regroup, reorganize and strategize for the final showpiece in Kakamega.” Said Mwanja.
Nondies on the other hand secured the challenge trophy after seeing off Catholic Monks 21-0 while 13th place was won by Blak Blad who defeated hosts Nakuru 21-10.
The National Sevens Circuit has seen four different winners with KCB winning the opening leg at Kabeberi Sevens, Strathmore Leos bagging the Christie Sevens, Mwamba running away with the Driftwood title and Homeboyz gatecrashing the party at the Dala Sevens in Kisumu last weekend.
