NAIROBI, Kenya, July 31 – The 57th edition of Christie 7s rugby tournament lived up to its pre-event billing as fans were treated to a menu of high-octane rugby on the pitch as well as finger-licking food and drinks all around the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi.
Kenya’s oldest rugby 7s tournament was an ode to the man after who it is named – former Kenya Harlequin chair Alex Christie.
It was yet another historic milestone for the two-day tournament, which is the first of the National Sevens Circuit (NSC) that also comprises Kakamega Sevens, Driftwood Sevens (Mombasa), Dala (Kisumu), Prinsloo (Nakuru) and Kabeberi (Nairobi).
The big winners at the end of the day were Kabras Sugar who beat the hosts 17-12 to lift the main cup crown and lay a marker heading into this weekend’s leg in Western Kenya.
Stallions, who beat Embu Dragons 26-7 to win the Division II trophy, as well as Impala – who beat archrivals Mwamba 22-10 to win the women’s crown – were also big winners on the pitch.
In the larger scheme of things, the biggest winner was Kenyan rugby as fans turned up in multitude at the grounds out of their love for the odd-shaped ball.
Thumbs up to the organisers for setting a standard for the rest of the circuit as far as the organisation of the event was concerned.
