A better life through rugby

By ERICK OCHIENG

Mathare, Kibera and Impala clubs were the champions of the Shamas Rugby Foundation (SRF) monthly tournament played recently at the Kenya Harlequin ground along Ngong Road, Nairobi. Mathare overcame odds to win the Under-10 category whitewashing Impala 20-5, beating Eastlands 15-10 before going down 5-25 to Kibera.

Determined Impala, eager to rake in victory, wiped the floor with Eastlands in a 20-0 victory. Impala, however, could not contain Mathare, a loss that saw them forsake their next contest against Kibera in the round-robin encounter.

In the Under-12 category, Kibera were undoubtedly champions after overcoming Mathare 15-5 and Eastland 20-5. Unlucky Mathare also suffered in the hands of Eastlands who tortured them to make away with a 20-5 victory. Eastlands’ triumph, nonetheless, was short-lived as resurgent Impala crashed down on them like a thud of bricks with a 35-0 win. Impala carried the day in the U-14 category after edging Kibera 20-15, and Mathare 10-5. Mathare were able to win 15-10 against Kibera in the category.

Kibera captain Felix Shagwe, while admitting their total loss in the U14 title, noted that it was simply not their day. “Despite going down to Impala and Mathare we had opportunity to learn vital lessons which will spur us to victory in forthcoming tournaments,” said Shagwe.

Eastlands, who thumped Kibera 25-5, won the girls’ U-14 contest. Eastlands went on to win the girls’ U-10 category after thrashing Kibera. 25-10.

Resolution Impala Saracens centre Isaac Gomba, who is also one of the SRF coaches, told Generation Next that the monthly tournament is designed to encourage children take up rugby.

Washington Okello, a Kenya Harlequins fly half and SRF coach from Kibera, was glad the weekend tournament recorded an increase of 450 players in April compared to 300 children in March.

“We are looking forward to have over 500 children in the June edition,” said Okello, who explained that some children miss out due to demanding school schedules that extend to the weekends.

At the same time, SRF officially entered into a partnership with social change agents Alive & Kicking Kenya which gave the foundation 60 rugby balls worth Sh120, 000.

Alive & Kicking Kenya Country Director Rose Maket said her

organisation was impressed with the work being done by SRF to give disadvantaged children from various Nairobi slums a foothold in life through rugby.

She said: “We have promoted football in a big way in this country, but what Shamas is doing has humbled us, it’s the reason we, for the first time, have taken a leap of faith in rugby as a way of expanding our territory.”

While thanking Maket for her organisation’s kind gesture, SRF founder Azim Deen said that the two organisations would work together and  possibly introdouce a big tournament where youths will be provided with a forum to engage in other social issues besides sports.

William Ferguson, a volunteer with SRF since November 2012, said their next area of expansion will be Kangemi.