Rugby: Kisumu ready for Dala Sevens

Kisumu RFC Sevens team pose with new jerseys at Jomo Kenyatta Stadium.[Collins Oduor,Standard] 

Kisumu City is ready to host the fourth leg of the 2022 National Sevens Series, Dala Sevens, at the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Mamboleo on Saturday from 9am in the morning.

The competition will be making a return to the lakeside city after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Hosted by home club Kisumu Rugby Club, Dala Sevens will kick off Nondescripts will kick off the two-day tournament with a match against Top Fry Nakuru.

Kisumu RF will then follow suit as they tackle Mwamba who are fresh from winning the 2022 Driftwood Sevens in Mombasa.

Dala Sevens Tournament Director Erick Ondieki expressed delight ahead of kick off especially after receiving major sponsorship boost from different sponsors.

Last week, Kisumu RFC received new playing jerseys from a local hospital.

Kisumu specialists’ hospital will now be the official sponsor of the club and seeks to support the team beyond the Dala Sevens tourney.

Dr Caeaser Bita, the hospital CEO, said they are proud to be associated with the club and are hopeful that the sponsorship will bear fruits for the lakeside team.

Kisumu RFC Director Fredrick Maube said the sponsorship is a godsend to the team which has in the recent past faced financial woes.

Players can look forward to the competition with renewed vigor with new hopes.

In addition to that, Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) came with Sh2million sponsorship.

Menengai Oilers will renew their rivalry Kabras Sugar at Dala Sevens.

The two clubs clashed four months ago in the 2021-2022 Kenya Cup finals where Kabras Sugar emerged champions after a 34-28 win at the Bull Ring in Kakamega.

The clash dubbed the ‘Rai Derby’ will headline Group B that also consists of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) and Daystar Falcons.

Oilers who reached the Driftwood Sevens finals two weeks ago in Mombasa will be keen to topple their rivals in the group as they eye to win the Dala Sevens leg according to club chairman Simpson Osiemo.

Speaking to the Standard Sports, Osiemo said the team has received maximum support from their sponsors and will be targeting the finals once again.

“The team played well two weeks ago in Mombasa and narrowly missed the title but that was a learning curve for us and now we are here to compete again. With the support they are receiving I believe the players have what it takes to win the Kisumu circuit,” said Osiemo.

The opening three rounds of this year’s circuit have produced three different winners with KCB claiming the season opening Kabeberi 7s before the Strathmore Leos came good at the Christie 7s. Mwamba then claimed the third leg, the Driftwood 7s in Mombasa.

These outcomes have meant that race for the overall title remains finely poised at the halfway stage with defending national champions KCB (58 points) holding a narrow five-point lead over Strathmore Leos and Menengai Oilers who are joint second on 53 points.

Newly crowned Driftwood 7s champions Mwamba are lurking in fourth place on 48 points and like the three teams above them, are still in with a realistic chance of claiming the overall title at the close of the sevens season.

Mwamba are in Group A alongside hosts Kisumu RFC, Nondescripts and Nakuru as leaders KCB face Strathmore Leos, Impala and Blak Blad.

Homeboyz, Kenya Harlequin, Zetech University and Catholic Monks will face off in Group D.