Homeboyz head coach Paul Murunga is confident that his side has what it takes to successfully defend their National Sevens Circuit title. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 25 – Homeboyz RFC head coach Paul Murunga is confident the team is on the path to defend their National Sevens Circuit title after moving back to the top of the standings following their third place finish at the Prinsloo 7s in Nakuru over the weekend.
The Deejays who were the defending champions of the Prinsloo title finished third to pick 17 points and improve on their performance from Kabeberi, thus moving back to the top of the log.
“As much as we were the defending champions and we failed to do win the title again, we must be proud of our performance because we improved from last weekend when we couldn’t make it past the Main Cup quarters,” Murunga told Capital Sport.
“We are back on top of the table and that was our target. From here now we hope to remain consistent in the remaining three tournaments of the season and probably win all of them,” the tactician added.
He missed the services of Leonard Mugaisi and Cyprian Kuto for the Nakuru tourney due to injury but was boosted with the availability of national team players Joshua Chisanga and Tonny Owuor who he says had a huge impact on the team.
“Chisanga helped us quite a bit especially on the breakdowns and set-pieces. He is a good ball carrier as well and that helped us. Overall, there was a good improvement in the team and next week when all the guys are back we will do much better,” the tactician, formerly an assistant coach with the national team said.
-Ouma, Oyoo impact felt at Nakuru-
Nakuru RFC and Kenya Sevens star Oscar ‘Wheels’ Ouma glides away from a Kabras Sugar opponent during the Prinsloo Sevens at the Nakuru Athletic Club on September 24, 2017. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
Meanwhile, Nakuru RFC boss Mitch Ochollah also praised the impact brought in by national team players Oscar Ouma and Nelson Oyoo, saying they hugely complemented his young squad to enable them get to a second Cup final this season.
Nakuru lost 29-5 in the final of their own home tournament to KCB but Ochollah was gracious in defeat, saying his charges put up a good performance.
“It is not disappointing considering in Nairobi we failed to do well and coming here to get to a second final is commendable. The boys are doing a good job and the influence brought in by the experience of Ouma and Oyoo really complemented us a lot,” Ochollah said.
Nakuru RFC’s Monate Akwei wins the ball from a line out ahead of Kabras Sugar’s Dan Sikuta during the Prinsloo Sevens in Nakuru on September 24, 2017. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
Wanyore’s 19 points from Nakuru pulled them all the way to second spot and the tactician hopes they can sustain the tempo over the remaining three tournaments in Eldoret, Kisumu and Nairobi to finish the season on a high.
Prinsloo winners KCB have meanwhile been slowly climbing up the rankings. The bankers who dominated the 15s season had a slow start failing to make it to the Main Cup quarters in Mombasa, finished fifth in Nairobi and then went on to win the title in Nakuru.
“It has been slow progress but a remarkable one from the boys. We started slow because of the setbacks we had as a team at the beginning of the season but now things are beginning to shape up.”
KCB in action against Blakblad during the Main Cup quarter finals at the Prinsloo Sevens in Nakuru on September 24, 2017. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
“We take a tournament at a time and we see what comes off it at the end,” soft spoken head coach Dennis Mwanja said after his team’s conquest at the heart of the Rift Valley.
Meanwhile, Menengai Oilers could not replicate their fine start to the season at their backyard in Nakuru when they picked a paltry seven points after losing in the Challenge Trophy final to Kabeberi champions Impala RFC.
Head coach Gibson Weru is however not fazed despite the slump and is confident the team will rise back over the next leg in Eldoret this weekend.
