KRU going for bigger things

By BS MULAVI

The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) hopes to make a big statement to the International Rugby Board during the Safaricom National Sevens circuit.

According to KRU Chairman Mwangi Muthee they hope to prove to the IRB that they are capable of handling one leg of the IRB circuit.

“This year we are setting new standards for Sevens rugby. This will certainly contribute significantly to our bid to host a leg in the IRB series. Our teams have also come of age, and we are sure that they will give leading international teams a run for their money,” said KRU chairman Mwangi Muthee.

Muthee’s sentiments were echoed by the current sponsors Safaricom.

“The goal of both KRU and Safaricom is to grow the stature of rugby in Kenya by driving fans attendance which will be a major boost to our ultimate agenda which is to secure an IRB leg,” said Safaricom’s Marketing Director, Rita Okuthe.

The HSBC Sevens World Series, previously known as the IRB Sevens World Series, consists of nine tournaments held around the world between October and May. As it stands, New Zealand and Australia each have a leg, Europe has two legs in England and Scotland, America has the USA leg, while Asia holds the bulk, with Dubai, Hong Kong and Japan.

Africa only has one leg in South Africa and Muthee is hoping that in a bid to grow the game, in a densely populated continent, the IRB will consider one more tournament in Nairobi. Kenya is currently the most favourable venue due for the performance of the Kenya National Sevens team and the organisation of the Safaricom Sevens, which includes some of the top players in the world.

According to Muthee, they have shifted from the Nyayo Stadium to the Kasarani Stadium which is a renowned venue in the hosting of international games.

Meanwhile advance tickets for this year’s Safaricom Sevens are now available at 18 Safaricom Shops in major towns  as preparations for the Sevens calendar event enter the final stretch.

In Nairobi, the tickets will retail at I&M, Moi Avenue, Kimathi Street, Sarit Centre, Nakumatt Mega, Westgate, Village Market, BuruBuru, Eastleigh and The Galleria Mall.

Outside Nairobi they are in Nakuru, Kisumu Mega, Mombasa (Rex and Digo), Nyeri, Thika, Eldoret and Nanyuki. Tickets will also be available at the gates at the stadium. 

Tickets for the upper decks at Kasarani are retailing at Sh200 for Friday matches and for Sh500 for each day on Saturday and Sunday. A season’s ticket for the upper decks is retailing at Sh1000. 

Seats on the lower decks (nearest to the pitch) are going for Sh500 on Friday and Sh1,000 for each day on Saturday and Sunday. A season ticket in this section is retailing at Sh2,000.