Rugby in Kenya

• Kenya Cup - Week 3 and League Standings

  Posted: June 29, 2009, 7:26 pm by DataMiner

  As I expected Quins came unstuck against Mwamba. I hear there was a mighty duel between Collins Injera and Sidney Ashioya, the victor being Injera.. though that is the first of many battles to come this year for sure. KCB waltzed along over Strathmore to retain their standing at the top of the league. Impala also had a stroll though they seemed to have leaked quite a few points. Maybe people

• Kenya Cup: Mean Machine 21 Impala 31

  Posted: June 28, 2009, 11:01 am by Back2Besics

  Our third loss which is disappointing but a better improvedperformance from the boys. A 31-21 scoreline that favoured Impala butCoach Ayimba will definitely be encouraged by the Mean Machine spirit.It will only be a matter of time before the turnaround happens. Impalaknow that they felt threatened by Machine.My mama and I are having breakfast at Nakumatt lifestyle beforeheading to the Westlands

• Kenya Cup Results

  Posted: June 28, 2009, 2:14 am by DataMiner

  Mwamba 34 Quins 26 Impala 31 Machine 21 KCB 39 Strathmore 29 Nakuru 11 Nonfies 5.

• Weekend Games

  Posted: June 26, 2009, 2:04 pm by DataMiner

  The Kenya Cup resumes this weekend. League leaders KCB host Strathmore, runners' up Nakuru host Nondies, third placed Impala are away to Machine and fourth placed Quins are at Mwamba. Word doing the rounds during the week had it that both the 7's team and the 15's team were due for some PR shoot, come training camp somewhere in the wilderness, I'm not sure exactly who will be affected. The 15'

• Weekly Ramble

  Posted: June 25, 2009, 12:46 pm by DataMiner

  Quite a weekend it was. I was a bit incapacitated and could not even make the sevens. Though I must say the coverage on SuperSport was truly amazing and I barely skipped a beat. My thanks to B2B and Ruggerbug for the updates on the blog and Twitter respectively. At least we kept most of our audience informed. And I thoroughly enjoyed the rugby. I will not dwell on the Safari Sevens as most

• Message to Mean Machine RFC

  Posted: June 23, 2009, 4:26 pm by Back2Besics

  Shake it off and Get upIt is action that connects dreams to fulfillment and transforms vision to possession. God has designed and predicted our future and He will not reverse it to come and meet us. We have to take steps towards our future.The future of Mean Machine is not based on looking down on our losses. But the strength that has driven the “Machine” over the years has not come from looking

• Safari Sevens Final : The Collins Injera show as Kenya thrash Emerging Boks 40-19. to retain trophy

  Posted: June 21, 2009, 9:55 pm by Back2Besics

  Collins Injera was toast of the Kenya team as they thrashed EmergingBoks 40-19 to retain the Safari Sevens trophy.Well done boys the Okombe is here though Kopo did not get much game time.

• Safari Sevens Day 2 : Kenya 26 Emerging Boks 7 at Half time

  Posted: June 21, 2009, 9:37 pm by Back2Besics

  Half time Kenya 26 Emerging Boks 7

• Safari Sevens Day 2 : Kenya crush Samurai 24-0 to reach final

  Posted: June 21, 2009, 8:24 pm by Back2Besics

  Kenya showed their true class as they dispatched a very competitiveSamurai 24-0 to reach the final once again.Collins Injera, Allan Onyango, Humphrey Khayange and Gibson KahuthiaWeru were outstanding in this game.Kenya now meet Emerging Boks in the final.

• Safari Sevens Day 2 : Kenya win 29-0 to romp into semis

  Posted: June 21, 2009, 4:16 pm by Back2Besics

  Kenya beat their brothers Chairmans 29-0 in a game that could havebeen described as a training session as they romped into the semis.They now play SamuraiOther results:Shujaa 15 Zambia 14

• Tusker Safari Sevens Day One Wrap Up

  Posted: June 21, 2009, 12:35 pm by DataMiner

  Quite an interesting day. Sevens really is quite a way to spend your weekends. End to end action and plenty of tries. The EABL sales people are also very close at hand to spice things up. On the pitch, Kenya have played true to form and topped their pool with ease. Samoa have already tasted defeat at the hands of Chairman's select and Japan were not really all they were made out to be.

• Safari Sevens Day 2 : Knockout Time

  Posted: June 21, 2009, 12:28 pm by Back2Besics

  Safari SevensMain Cup DrawQuarter finalsKenya vs ChairmansZimbabwe vs SamuraiEmerging Boks vs GrenobleSamoa vs Hamilton RaidersBowl Quarter finalsJapan vs UgandaBristol vs MoroccoShujaa vs ZambiaFrance vs TanzaniaBreaking News: Injera rejected by Western Province.The star winger has been told to bulk up if he ever hopes to play inthe Currie Cup.

• Safari Sevens Day 1 : Kenya 56 Japan 0

  Posted: June 20, 2009, 9:26 pm by Back2Besics

  Kenya 56 Japan 0As top seeds Kenya annihilated Japan 56-0 in a display of top classexhibition rugby.The class difference was evident as Kenya showed before their homefans why they are the 6th best team in the world.This was real true highlight of the day. No more games as we await thedraw for day 2.

• Safari Sevens Day 1: Kenya 48 Tanzania 0

  Posted: June 20, 2009, 5:26 pm by Back2Besics

  Kenya 48 Tanzania 0A walk in the park for Kenya.Other resultsFrance 12 Chairmans 5Samurai 22 Shujaa 5Chairmans 29 Samoa 14Doubts on whether Japan and Samoa have actually brought genuine sidesto the tournament.

• Safari Sevens Day 1: Kenya 22 Hamilton Raiders 5

  Posted: June 20, 2009, 1:42 pm by Back2Besics

  Kenya 22 Hamilton Raiders 5Good start for Kenya as they win their first game of the day. HamiltonRaiders it seems are a team from Western Province in South Africa.Earlier reports had indicated Western Province were to take part butit seems they have been added to the list of 'no shows'.

• Safari Sevens Kicks Off

  Posted: June 19, 2009, 4:35 pm by ruggerbug

  The 14th edition of the Tusker Safari Sevens has kicked off. Today will see the schools, women and veterans take the pitch. Follow me on Twitter or keep it here for updates from Russia.

• Safari Sevens Countdown: Kenya, Shujaa and Chairmans teams named

  Posted: June 18, 2009, 3:48 pm by Back2Besics

  The three Kenya teams to the Safari Sevens 2009 have been named. Mymama and I were at this mornings press conference in style. Last nightat Mwendas was good. Small hanngie but rugby comes first.Kenya Rugby 7's:Humphrey KhayangeAllan OnyangoLeon AdongoBen NyambuWilson KopondoGibson WeruHorace OtienoLavin AsegoSidney AshioyaCollins InjeraInnocent SimiyuBiko AdemaShujaaGraham KomboKen IsinduMalik

• Weekly Ramble

  Posted: June 17, 2009, 8:00 pm by DataMiner

  This weekend sees the fourteenth edition of the Safari Sevens. A great achievement on its own and yet another milestone broken. The event has grown in leaps and bounds and so has its stature. Part of the initial thinking behind the Safari Sevens was to improve our seven a side play (remember, Safari Sevens is older than the IRB Sevens Circuit) as well as to give our national sevens team an

• Safari Sevens Countdown: Draw released as Fiji no show for 2009

  Posted: June 16, 2009, 12:38 am by Back2Besics

  Pool A: Kenya, Japan, Western Province, TanzaniaPool B: Samoa, France Select, Uganda, ChairmansPool C: Emerging Springboks, Samurai, Morocco, ShujaaPool D: Zimbabwe, Bristol Select, Zambia, GrenobleFiji have joined Argentina in giving the event a miss while Kenya 7'sClub champions have been totally excluded from the event.

• Short term Profits Versus Long term Development

  Posted: June 16, 2009, 8:14 pm by Just a Fan

  (Profit making commercial enterprise) Short-termismIf I were an entrepreneur, and wanted an immediate return of profits from an event such as the safari sevens I would set the price for the event at Kshs 1,500. Why? Kenya seven is riding on a current high. The publicity they have received is phenomenal. And will require only a minimal advertising spend for reminder adverts. A large number of

• Kenya Cup - Week 2

  Posted: June 16, 2009, 1:46 pm by DataMiner

  A good write up here. Not much went the unexpected way. That some teams struggled maybe is a pointer to their lack of form as opposed to vast improvement from the opposition, but I stand to be corrected. With the same four teams winning, there will be some minor adjustments at the top based on bonus points obtained or not as well as points for and against. I see KCB on top, followed by Nakuru

• Castle Lager Sevens 2009

  Posted: June 15, 2009, 2:46 am by Back2Besics

  Zimbabwe win the Mosi Castle Lager 7's as Kenya Select 7's are dumpedout of the tournament by Mpumalanga of South Africa 21-14.

• Kenya Select Bow Out in Castle Cup Semis

  Posted: June 14, 2009, 1:08 am by DataMiner

  The Kenya Select side bowed out in the Semi Finals of the Castle Cup in Lusaka today to defending champions Mpumalanga from South Africa. Interesting in that they had beaten them the previous day in the preliminaries.

• Kenya Cup Results 130609

  Posted: June 13, 2009, 12:28 am by DataMiner

  KCB 29 Mwamba 10 Quins 25 Strathmore 15 Impala 20 Nondies 13 Nakuru 22 Machine 11.

• Weekend Games

  Posted: June 13, 2009, 1:56 pm by DataMiner

  This weekend sees day 2 of the Kenya Cup league. There is a select 7's side in Lusaka this weekend for the Castle Sevens and the National 7's side has a training camp in Gilgil as well. That puts, by my least count twelve plus another possibly twenty players out of the Kenya Cup this weekend, making a total of about thirty players. With 176 players expected to turn out, that is close to 20% of

• Safari Sevens Countdown: Argentina not coming but 13 others confirmed

  Posted: June 12, 2009, 8:08 pm by Back2Besics

  Argentina have turned down a big opportunity to play in this yearsSafari Sevens. The 7's World Cup finalists have said 'thanks but nothanks'.Thirteen other sides have already confirmed. Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania,Tunisia, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Emerging Boks, France,Japan, Grenoble and Bristol Select have put pen to paper.Fiji and Samoa are yet to confirm while on standby are Kenya's

• Kenya Select 7's off to Zambia

  Posted: June 12, 2009, 4:18 pm by Back2Besics

  My mama and I can hardly wait for the Safari Sevens as the excitementbuilds up to next weeks event. We resume classes on Monday but thefocus will clearly be the weekend. No more TV screens flat or roundbut it will real live action at the Safari Sevens grounds. We now haveto save more to buy our t-shirts as well. The fanatics owners havecome up super designs this time.Meanwhile a Kenya Select 7's

• Budget Deficit!

  Posted: June 12, 2009, 3:24 pm by ruggerbug

  The Kenya National Budget for the financial year 2009/2010 was read yesterday by the Minister for Finance. It has been hailed as a people's budget, development focused and devolving funds to the grassroots. I do not disagree with most of what has been said, my general feeling was it is the best budget I have heard in a long while. The conspiracists have already found a typing error in the

• Weekly Ramble

  Posted: June 12, 2009, 12:56 pm by DataMiner

  The more things change, the more they remain the same. Apparently, the only thing that matters is that the Sevens team is playing well. Otherwise, same old, same old. The union continues to operate with impunity, doing as they want when they want. And they don't care what the clubs thinks or feel. Nor do they care what their now expanding constituency demands. I think things will soon

• KENYA RUGBY : SPONSORSHIP COUP D'ETAT IN THE MAKING

  Posted: June 11, 2009, 2:37 pm by The Real KRFU

  For those without eyes, they will not see. For those without ears, they will not hear. For those without mouths, they will not speak. Orange are in town and have gate-crashed the party. They are the new official short sponsors of the 7's side and the 15's shirt sponsor. Literally speaking they have got Virgin Atlantic by the balls when it comes to the Kenya 7's team. Nilanthi Manatunga, the

• Kenya 7's and the Olympic Bid - A Case Stranger Than Fiction

  Posted: June 9, 2009, 2:39 pm by ruggerbug

  Sometimes as a blogger I get confused.  I don't know who reads my articles or how many actually do.  I don't know if they believe in what I say, or consider me a complete nutcase.  Just someone out to rant and rave without showing his face or supporting what he says with his name.  And I know most times my articles raise a lot of hackles and draw a lot of ire.  Well, today is one of those

• Kenya Cup - Week 1

  Posted: June 9, 2009, 1:23 pm by DataMiner

  Nothing really went against the expected. A mixed up write up here. I wills till take a wait and see approach as things don't really kick just before the annual Safari Sevens. And the 7's players will still not turn out for their clubs this weekend. With the inclusion of a Scorpions team in the Safari Sevens, that will rule out at least twelve more players from the teams.Four wins for four

• Safari Sevens Countdown: Big guns coming to Nairobi

  Posted: June 8, 2009, 10:29 pm by Back2Besics

  Breaking News: Argentina, Fiji, France, Samoa and Japan set for SafariSevens 2009.Reliable sources within the Kenya 7's team have confirmed that 5 highprofile IRB Series teams named above will participate in this yearstournament.Confirmations are being awaited from world champions Wales andScotland while England have declined citing fatigue. New Zealand AllBlacks and Australia have indicated they

• Kenya Cup: Machine in false start

  Posted: June 7, 2009, 9:15 pm by Back2Besics

  Our 2009 Kenya Cup campaign saw us falter at the start. In a gameplayed at KCB Ruaraka, my mama and I watched Mean Machine go down34-14 to KCB.The recent departures may have somewhat affected our rhythm but I'msure Kopo and the remaining lads will bounce back in true Mean Machinestyle.Other results:Nakuru 28 Mwamba 8Quins 23 Nondies 18Impala 27 Strathmore Leos 7

• Weekend Games

  Posted: June 5, 2009, 3:23 pm by DataMiner

  Kenya Cup action kicks off this weekend to the relief of many. It has been quite a wait. A good preview here. I'll not make any judgements for now, save that I agree with the blog writer on the teams to watch. My favorites as you know are the dark horses, or the middle order as I call them as they are the most dangerous. Write off any team at your own peril I say. I also think Nakuru may

• Weekly Ramble

  Posted: June 4, 2009, 1:08 pm by DataMiner

  This week sees the start of the long awaited Kenya Cup Senior Rugby League and the Eric Shirley Shield Competition or the 2nd Division League. And this has got me thinking mainly of the history of the Kenya Cup as I remember it.In the early days, the union did exist in some form or other. There was no fully fledged secretariat as is there now, but a fixtures committee did exist, consisting of

• The Eighth Man - In Support of Player 23 or 13 in this case!

  Posted: June 3, 2009, 4:40 pm by ruggerbug

  Ever since I can recall, the Kenya rugby fan has been a special person.  From my days as a mono when we used to be forced to cheer the house senior teams, to my first time in that same year at the RFUEA 7's, and later to my playing days in school and in club, the rugby fan has always been special.  That each and every Kenyan (without having gone to the same schools) know the same cheering songs

• IRB EDINBURGH 7's : KENYA 6TH BEST IN THE WORLD

  Posted: June 2, 2009, 6:12 pm by Back2Besics

  What a weekend. Kenya 7's finished 6th in the IRB Rugby Sevens Seriesand Mean Machine won the Plate at the ten aside. My mama and me had alovely weekend in Nakuru. We overly bonded. We are now heading to theairport to welcome the Ayimba crew who have done Kenya proud.Congratulations to Kenya Rugby 7's. You have done rugby and Kenyaproud. Day 1 was ours for the taking in Edinburgh as we

• IRB Sevens Wrap Up

  Posted: June 2, 2009, 5:02 pm by DataMiner

  It's been a good season for us. We managed to finish in 6th position, just behind the other amateur side that takes part in the circuit. If my memory serves me right, this year we've managed to beat everyone, including the dreaded Fiji and New Zealand sides. That New Zealand was everybody's whipping boy this year notwithstanding, we at least managed to overcome that psychological barrier and

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Fish cakes

Alas a fish cake.

Yet more fish cakes

Guess what ... yeah ... fish cakes.

The end of the fish cakes