•Safari sevens slated for October 18-20 at the RFUEA ground.
•Kenya to be represented by three teams at the rugby extravaganza.
Image: coutesy
Russia Sevens Academy will be the first team to arrive for this year’s Safari Sevens slated for October 19-20 at the RFUEA ground.
They are coached by Sevens legend Waisale Serevi & land in Nairobi on today for a week-long training camp ahead of the tournament. Serevi also led Fiji as player/coach to the 2005/06 WorldRugby7stitle, the first time the series was won by a team other than New Zealand.
Serevi, was the chief guest in 2005 & appointed Russian Head Coach in November 2018. He is widely considered to be the greatest 7s player in history, featuring in 4 #RWC7s in 1993, 1997, 2001 & 2005, winning the World Cup with Fiji in 97 & 05.
Other top teams expected for the rugby extravaganza sponsored by Tusker Lager include Olympic bronze medalists and three-time world Sevens series champions South Africa, Spain, defending champions Samurai, Africa Sevens champions Zimbabwe, Uganda, Zambia, Western Province, Blue Bulls, Red Wailers among the top sides expected for the event.
Kenya will field three teams at the tournament with Shujaa, Morans and KCB as the hosts seek to reclaim the event they last won in 2016 at Moi Stadium, Kasarani.
The two Kenyan teams are expected to be named next week. The tournament will be used to select the national squad to the Olympic Sevens qualifiers in South Africa and at the same time the World Sevens Series which starts in Dubai in December.
There will be age grade, ladies and Veterans tournaments played alongside the main tournament. There will be free entry for all children for children aged 12 and under to regular stands.
They, however, must be accompanied by their parents/guardians.It will be Sh600 per day for children aged five & above at the VIP section advance regular and VIP tickets are Sh600 and Sh1,200 respectively. Prices at the gate will be Sh100 for regular and Sh1,500 for the VIP.
Elsewhere KCB will be targeting a third Impala floodlit Impala crown when they face Menenengai Oilers in the final tomorrow bankers made light work of Homeboyz in the semis winning 38-14 as Oilers fended of Quins 30-21 in the second semifinal.
Oilers coach Gibson Weru said the key to the game will be to match the intensity and physicality of the KCB forwards upfront.
"We need to stop getting over the gain line and at the same time execute our attack and defence well then we will have a good chance of winning the game,” noted Weru.
The Universities final will pit defending Champions Mean Machine and fellow Championship side Strathmore Leos while Muhuri Muchiri will take on holders Ofafa Jericho in the schools category