Menengai dream big: National finalist won the 2017 East Africa rugby sevens bronze medal

Menengai Rugby Open Roy Nandwa (in red ) of Menengai High School runs with the ball past Musingu high school players during the Menengai open rugby tournament on January 28,2018.Photo:Kipsang Joseph/standard

Having excelled last year in rugby sevens, Menengai High School are fired up to battle for glory in the longer version of the game.

The 2017 national rugby sevens champions switched to rugby 15s and will be contesting for this year’s East Africa Secondary Schools title when the contest begins in Musanze, Rwanda, next week.

Menengai will leave nothing to chance as they seek to win their maiden East Africa crown.

Team Coach Evans Adenya said their aim is a top-three finish. “We have been working hard to balance between academics and preparations for these games and all I can say is that we will be competitors and not participants. We did well in rugby sevens last year and the boys are ready to fight for a podium finish,” Adenya said.

Adenya said the level competition will stiff and as a result the need to set realistic goals for his players. “It is every players dream to be a champion in school and my boys are no different. They are eager to win the title and I know they will give their best to make it happen. Nonetheless, a top three finish is a realistic goal that we have set but that doesn’t mean that we will let our opponents have their way. We will fight our hearts out to make sure that we achieve our goals.”

Menengai will face off with Upper Hill who beat them 15-12 in sudden death to win the national title in April’s National Term One games held at Kangaru School, Embu. They will also be up against six-time East Africa winners Kakamega as well as their Ugandan compatriots Namilyango College, St Mary’s Kisubi and Kings College Buddo.

Playing in a round robin format, Adenya said they will go full throttle in every encounter. “Every match is a final because every point counts. There is no room for making or rectifying mistakes when playing in a round robin format because you get punished for every error you make. We have worked on our shortcomings at the national games, strengthened our weak areas and we are ready for the regional challenge,” Adenya said.

He said Upper Hill and Kakamega are their main challengers but pointed out that they can’t write off the Ugandans. Kakamega and Upper Hill were second and third last year while Namilyango and St Mary’s Kisubi finished fourth and seventh respectively.

Menengai will bank on the services of national Most Valuable player and first centre Davis Ochieng. He will also be spoilt for choice between Brighton Maluki and Austin Sikutwa in the centre position.