Quins lift Driftwood 7s as Homeboyz suffer second final defeat

Tennyson Kaaria- Safaricom Trade Marketing Manager Coast Region with 2016 Driftwood Sevens Main Cup Winners Kenya Harlequin during trophy presentation ceremony at the Mombasa Sports Club, yesterday. Photo/Courtesy.

Hosea Odhiambo scored a try at the death as surprises in the National Sevens Series continued after Kenya Harlequin silenced series leaders Homeboyz RFC 19-12 to lift Driftwood Sevens tournament, at Mombasa Sports Club, yesterday.

Quins coach Charles Cardovillis couldn’t hide his joy after seeing his side inflict a second final defeat on the Deejays, who came into the tournament as joint series leaders after losing to Impala RFC in the Kabeberi Sevens, the second round of the series.

“It is an illusion. Quite unbelievable. We were knocked out in the semi-finals in the last two tournaments, but right now we are the Driftwood winners. We started it on a bad note losing our first match, but to win the Cup at the end is fantastic. “Homeboyz bullied us a lot, but the boys did well to contain them,” a delighted Cardovillis told Feverpitch.

Commenting on the level of the competition following the crowning of Quins as third different winner of the already competed three legs, Cardovillis said: “I know everybody is happy out there after the third leg got a different winner. It is good for Kenya rugby and it will be interesting to see how teams go into the remaining legs. Homeboyz are sitting pretty at the top, but we are happy to have narrowed down the gap. To be honest, don’t take any team for granted. We all saw what Blak Blad did here on day one, so expect more surprises in Dala Sevens.”

The Prinsloo winners drew the first blood through Charles Omondi’s try with Humprey Owour successfully converting it for a 7-0 lead.

However, Eric Shikuku drew level for the Quins with converted try after a fine pass from Frank Wanyama to tie the score at 7-7.

Homeboyz restored the lead through Alvin Otieno’s try but his national teammate Wanyama scored a converted try for the Ngong Road based side just after the Deejays were reduced to six men following Nelson Sangura’s yellow-card.

Odhiambo hit the final nail in the Deejays’ coffin with a try at the sudden death, to announce a different winner in the third round of the series.

Homeboyz qualified for their third final in a row after seeing off Kabras Sugar 19-12 in a closely contested as Quins stunned Strathmore 14-0.

Kenyan international Jeffery Oluoch scored the first try for Simon Odongo’s trained side before John Aluda cancelled it out with a successfully converted try for the Millers to take a 10-5 lead.

However, Homeboyz regained the lead through Alvin Otieno’s converted try. Speedster Aluda, who’s thorny in the Deejays backline outpaced his markers to ground his second try of the match to tie the score at 12-12.

With the score tied at 12-12, Otieno raced through the middle to score another converted try and secure a final ticket for the series leaders.

In the first semis, Max Theuri starred scoring on either half for Kenya Harlequin to book a final date with Homeboyz. Theuri converted his own first try after receiving a pass from Frank Wanyama before landing a brace.

Strathmore beat Kabras Sugar 12-7 in the third place play-offs as Kenya Commercial Bank claimed the Plate after silencing Kabeberi champions Impala 15-5 in the final. Nakuru stunned Menengai Oilers 14-0 to lift the Bowl,while Daystar Falcons clinched the Shield after humiliating Kisii 24-5.

Kabras Sugar’s John Aluda Beda was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player as Strathmore’s Elton Isiaho won the Top try scorer award. For emerging the top try scorer, Isiaho received a new Samsung Galaxy S7 phone and airtime worth Shs 5000 from giant telecommunication giants Safaricom Limited.