Rugby: Saints banish Brickwoods to win Braeburn tag festival 2018

St Christopher's "Saints" player Markterick Gachau dodges his markers from Rusinga school markers during the 5th edition of the Braeburn Nanyuki international tag rugby festival played at the school in Nanyuki, Laikipia county, June 9, 2018, Saints emerged the overall winners after walloping Brickwoods school 20-6 in the final match. [Mose Sammy, Standard]

St Christopher School Nanyuki tag rugby team, Saints, are the winners of the 5th Braeburn Nanyuki International School tag rugby festival.

Saints prevailed upon their erstwhile rivals Brickwoods School - Nanyuki, 20-6 over the weekend.

Tag rugby or flag rugby is a non-contact team game in which each player wears a belt that has two  velcro tags attached to it or shorts with velcro patches.

The mode of play is based on rugby league with many similarities to touch rugby, although tag rugby is often deemed as a closer simulation of the full contact codes of rugby than touch.

Attacking players attempt to evade and pass a rugby ball while defenders attempt to prevent them scoring by ‘tagging’ (pulling a velcro attached tag from the ball carrier) rather than a full contact tackle.

Tag rugby is used in development and training by both rugby league and rugby union communities.

Tag rugby comes in several forms with OzTag and Mini Tag being some of the better known variations.

The tournament played under the Oztag format attracted 11 teams namely; hosts Braeburn Nanyuki International school, Oshwal Academy (Nairobi), Rusinga School (Nairobi).

Others were; St Christopher’s School (Nanyuki),  Braeburn Gatanga road (Nairobi), Brickwoods School (Nanyuki )Waldorf School (Nairobi) and St Austin’s school academy (Nairobi) all both boys and girls teams.

Saints winning team had Nooni Pasulan (skipper), Markterick Gachau, Maxwell Gathura, Ryan Mwangi, Agnes Wangari, Rita Naisula and Samidi Lesowapir while the reserve had Charene Muthoni, Alice Wanjiru and Oliver Munene.

Their technical bench was manned by head coach Omar Omari, assisted by Martin Gathara and managed by Munir Kizongona.

A high display of sportsmanship and talent was on display from all participating teams.

Saints fielded more girls than boys taking advantage of the scoring format where a girl’s score attracts two points whereas a boy’s score attracts one point.

Heading into the finals, Saints defeated hosts Braeburn Nanyuki A with resounding victory 19-2 to set themselves up for the finals with Brickwoods, who had prevailed over St Austin’s academy.   [Mose Sammy]