SCHOOLS: Mang'u rugby team chase after podium finish at national finals

Alliance (in white) battles with Ofafa in rugby during the National Secondary school games at Nakuru High school.[Kipsang Joseph,Standard]

After winning the Central Region rugby 15s title, Mang'u High School are keen on winning a medal at the national school games.

Nationals will be at Machakos High School from April 8-14.

While praising his charges for a job well done, head coach Dennis Munene said their win has just come in handy with their ambition to take part in the East Africa Games.

"We have just started our readiness to effectively participate in the national games. Our aim is to reach the medal bracket and possibly win a ticket to the East Africa Games," said Munene.

Mang'u High defeated Alliance High School 12-9 to retain the rugby 15s title as curtains came down on the Central Region games at Thika High School over the weekend.

Mang'u forwards overwhelmed their opponents through two tries by Gregory Karonji and James Mwangi with a lone conversion by Dismas Matibe. Alliance scored three penalties.

Matibe's conversion propelled the team to start early preparations as they seek to reach the medal bracket in the rugby 15s.

Coach Munene said going through the regional finals was not easy, but had given them the required exposure to face fancied opponents in the national championships.

And as teams head for the national games, Central Regional Secretary-General Virginia Murage said they are ready to showcase their talents.

"By concluding our regional games early, it means that we have more time to commence early training and improve on fitness of our teams," she said.

During the games, Mang'u also dominated the regional swimming team after producing six swimmers out of 12 in the composite regional squad.

In basketball, Pioneer Boys from Murang'a County and Mpesa Academy from Kiambu are heading to Machakos for the national games after they emerged as boys and girls' basketball champions respectively.

They (Pioneer and Mpesa Academy) defeated Alliance Boys and Alliance Girls in the finals respectively.

In the boys' handball finals, Handege lifted the title after they saw-off Mang'u 23-12.

On their part, Nyathuna lifted the girls' handball title after they overcome Kerugoya Girls 37-26.

Mang'u were equally disappointed when they failed to overcome the stubborn Murang'a Boys who defeated them 3-2 to lift the boys' hockey title as Mpesa Academy won the girls' hockey title from a 1-0 win over Loreto Girls from Kiambu.

Central Region champions

RUGBY 15s - Mang'u High beat Alliance 12-9.

BOYS' HANDBALL - Handege beat Mang'u 23-12.

GIRLS' HANDBALL - Nyathuna defeated Kerugoya Girls 37-26.

BOYS' HOCKEY - Murng'a Boys beat Mang'u 3-2.

GIRLS' HOCKEY - Mpesa Academy beat Loreto Girls 1-0.