National rugby 15s champions Vihiga High School is the first team to qualify for the semi-finals of the ongoing Federation of East African Secondary School Sports Association games in Kakamega.
Vihiga beat compatriots Upper Hill School 15-8 in an entertaining match to storm into the semi-finals. Derrick Wanyama, Felix Apwoka, and Adrian Mwori scored Vihiga’s unconverted tries. Sammy Baraka scored a penalty while Hosea Simian crossed the whitewash for an unconverted try. In the opening game, Vihiga overcame Uganda’s Namilyango College 20-15.
Vihiga coach Abdalla Abubakar admitted the game was intense. “This was a tough match, but I’m happy we have qualified for the semi-finals and we are on course to win the trophy,” said the coach.
Elsewhere, defending champions All Saints Embu started their FEASSSA title defence on a winning note after a 27-3 victory over Uganda’s Busoga College at the Bullring in Kakamega on Saturday.
All Saints, coached by Benson Mwendwa, raced to a 15-0 lead at the break. Rooney Wamae touched down twice with Boll Bull and Ayik Ayak adding two more tries for the Saints. Bramwel Odida converted twice, with Ayak completing the scores with a penalty. Benjamin Mudali scored the lone penalty for Busoga College.
All Saints coach Benson Mwenda said he has now turned his focus to Sunday’s game against Kisii School. “Things are tough here, but we are focused on retaining our title,” said Mwenda.
In rugby 7s, national champions St Peter’s Mumias and Bungoma High School maintained their 100 per cent record. St Peter’s Mumias and Bungoma have so far won all three games.
On Saturday, Bungoma started their day with a 19-7 win over their Kenyan rivals Koyonzo before narrowly edging Mbarara High from Uganda 7-0. They concluded the day with a 40-0 thrashing of Rwanda’s Gitisi.
On the other hand, St Peter’s Mumias thrashed Uganda’s London College Maya 40-0 before beating Makerere College School 40-12. On Thursday, St Peter’s opened their campaign with a 19-14 win over Friends School Bwake.
Bwake, coached by Ben Amboko, recovered from their Day One loss to wallop London School Maya 38-5. Friends School College coach Nelson Jaika said the games have so far been intense, but he is impressed by his charges.
“We are doing well. The matches are becoming tough, but we are managing. Winning three games puts us in the driving seat with five matches to go. We are taking a game at a time,” he remarked.
Bungoma High School coach Robert Wangila: “We have won all our games so far, which is good. We have won some games convincingly and others narrowly. We compete to win the trophy.”
In the girls’ rugby 7s, national champions Kinale continued with their impressive run after beating Paul Harris 38-7, while East Africa champions St Joseph’s Kitale suffered a narrow 7-5 loss against St. Theresa’s Kithimu. In another game, Jinja SS beat Ugandan compatriots Nkoma School 7-0.
