NAIROBI, October 17 – Mombasa Sports Club is the scene for a potentially explosive weekend of rugby when the Driftwoods Sevens takes centre stage Saturday.
Defending national sevens circuit champions Mwamba could put daylight between them and the rest of the clubs by going16 points clear on top of the standings if they clinch the Driftwoods title.
Mwamba, who are top seeds for the second week in a row should dominate Pool A, where they have been drawn alongside Strathmore University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and Daystar University.
Lavin Asego will be keen to build on his dominant performance at the Prinsloo Sevens together with a supporting cast of George Mbaye, Collins Injera, Humphrey Khayange and Horace Otieno.
Otieno will be keen to make up for lost time after missing last week’s leg especially with the impending selection for national team players.
Joshua Gathumbi and Philip Moturi will be spearheading Strathmore’s charge as they seek early vengeance for their 39-0 main cup quarter final loss to Mwamba.
Prinsloo finalists Impala headline Pool B and should have too much firepower for Mean Machine, Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA) and Nazarene University.
Impala who are second in the standings with 24 points will want to erase memories of their 45-12 thrashing by Mwamba in the final and have the personnel in the likes of Brian Nyikuli, Naftaly Bondo and Nato Simiyu.
Pool C contains an exciting match up between Kenya Harlequins and Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) with hosts Mombasa and Kenyatta University the other pool members.
The KCB and Quins clash has some amazing sub-plots in that KCB will be seeking revenge for their Kenya Cup decider loss to the Ngong Road side, and a straight dogfight between KCB’s Dennis Mwanja and Quins Allan Onyango.
Nakuru are favourites to top Pool D, which also has Nondies, United States International University and Masinde Muliro University.
Nakuru’s Gibson Weru, Vincent Mose and Cyprian Shimenga have another chance to impress the national selectors and Nondies, who have Biko Adema and Charles Kanyi in their ranks, will be hoping to make it past the quarter final stage.
Both teams will have to be wary of Masinde Muliro who beat Nazarene 14-5 to win the Prinsloo bowl.
Draw:
Pool A: Mwamba, Strathmore, JKUAT, Daystar
Pool B: Impala, Mean Machine, KCA, Nazarene
Pool C: KCB, Kenya Harlequins, Blak Blad, Mombasa
Pool D: Nakuru, Nondies, USIU, Masinde Muliro