Faced-paced action pitting Black Blad versus Strathmore players in a gruelling Christie Sevens tournament at RFUEA grounds, at the weekend.[PHOTO: MARTIN MUKANGU/ STANDARD]

By FEVERPITCH REPORTER

The 18th edition of the Safaricom Safari Sevens will be the biggest one, with six tournaments running concurrently.

This year’s edition, to be staged at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani, from September 20 to 22, will attract international, clubs, veterans, schools, women and mtaa categories.

The international tournament, which kicks off on Friday, September 20, will be the main attraction.

 The two-day event will feature three Kenyan teams, Shujaa, Morans and Chairman’s Select. The sides will be joined by top sides from around the globe.

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With the recent success of the Kenya Sevens side in the IRB Circuit and the World Cup, fans will be eager to see the home side performing in their backyard.

Replicate the form

 The team last won the Safari Sevens in 2010 and will be looking to replicate the form they have shown over the last year and end the two year drought.

With the exit of Mike Friday, the team will be led by interim head coach Felix Ochieng, who has been in the sevens set-up for the last decade.

 Totty, as he is popularly known in rugby circles, will be more than capable of running the side.

The newly introduced club category will feature the top eight sides from the just-concluded Safaricom Sevens series. The series champions, KCB, will lead the Kenyan contingent that includes Kenya Harlequins, Strathmore, Homeboyz, Impala, Mwamba, Western Bulls and Nakuru.

They will be joined by four international sides in the 12-team format.

Veterans category

The veterans category will as usual be played on the evening of Friday 20. Defending champions Impala will be up against Quins, Nondies, Mombasa and Mwamba among a host of other veterans.

The category is also set to feature an international veterans side or two.

The mtaa category that was introduced last year will be kicking off on Thursday. The category attracts the top mtaa sides from around the city and its environs and is aimed at developing the sport at the grassroots.

The schools category will keep its tradition of bringing together the best schools in each of the eight provinces in the country.

The eight local sides will be joined by school teams from Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania. The age grade category will again feature Under-12 and Under-14 sides from the top clubs in the country.

The newly introduced women’s category will feature club sides from the country and is also expected to attract sides from the region.

It is set to be a great two days of sevens rugby, with top notch action from across the categories.