Rugby: Champions start title defence on a winning note
Sports
By
Rodgers Eshitemi
| Sep 04, 2017
Deejays begin journey to stardom with victory in Driftwood Sevens.
Homeboyz RFC began their National Sevens Circuit title defence on a winning note after they defeated 2015 champions Nakuru RFC 17-7 to clinch the Driftwood Sevens in Mombasa yesterday.
Kenyan international Leonard Mugaisi, Keith Wasike, and Charles Omondi scored a try each, with Humphrey Owuor making one conversion to give coach Paul ‘Pau’ Murunga his first gong of the season.
Wanyore’s try was grounded by Monate Akwei in the opening round of the season at Mombasa Sports Club.
The victory saw the Deejays, who graced all the six finals last year, go into this weekend’s Kabeberi Sevens in Nairobi as top seeds after garnering a maximum 22 points, three ahead of second-placed Nakuru.
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On their way to the final, Homeboyz overcame a resilient Menengai Oilers 10-5 in the first semifinal as Wanyore dug deep to beat Mean Machine 5-0 to sail through.
The Oilers took the lead through Sammy Murage’s unconverted try, but the Deejays responded immediately with Cyprian Kuto touching down before the break.
Mugaisi then secured a final ticket for the defending series champions with a second unconverted try to make the scores 10-5.
Crispin Onyango’s lone try is all Nakuru needed to silence a hardworking Mean Machine. The university students desperately chased the game but were let down by poor decision-making in the crucial zone.
Mwamba lifted the Challenge Trophy after rallying from behind to beat KCB 12-10 as Philip Wokorach’s try at the death inspired Kabras Sugar to a 12-5 win over Impala in the fifth-place playoffs.
Aluda Beda put the millers 5-0 up with a well-worked try but Mark Kwemoi restored parity to ensure the match went to the breather tied 5-5.
Beda could have grabbed his second try of the game, but his indecisiveness cost him before instrumental Wokorach came to the rescue with a converted try at the death.
University of Nairobi’s Mean Machine were the surprise package of the first leg of the season after beating all odds to qualify for the last eight before stunning dethroned tournament holders Kenya Harlequins 7-0 in the quarterfinals.
Makueni RFC were crowned Division Two champions after seeing off Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology 15-5 in the final.
Following the victory, Makueni were promoted to Division One ahead of the weekend’s second leg of the series at Railways Grounds, Nairobi.