NAIROBI, Kenya, September 30 – After 12 years in the backburner of rugby 7s, Kenya Harlequin finally clinched the National Sevens Circuit (NSC) crown in a dramatic finale at the Prinsloo Sevens on September 15 in Nakuru.
A day before, the then defending champions Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) had just kissed goodbye to the trophy after failing to reach the knockout stages.
It left Quins and Kabras Sugar as the frontrunners for the top gong, going into the final day.
However, Nondies RFC threw a spanner in the works, beating Quins 15-12 in the early Sunday morning quarterfinal tie to leave fans and players alike, mouth agape.
For Quins coach Paul Murunga, it was time to rise to the occasion, keeping his boys focused on the prize even as Nondies faced off with the sugar millers in the main cup semis.
The longstanding tactician, who won the NSC with Homeboyz RFC in 2016 and 2018, was, confident the trophy was there for the taking.
“Most of the players thought the chance (to lift the trophy) had gone but according to me…the mathematics was still in our favour. We only needed to finish fifth and win the Plate…the way Kabras had been playing that weekend, according to me, they couldn’t have won Prinsloo. From my experience as a coach, the way they had played in the last two legs, I knew they were not in a position to win Prinsloo,” Murunga says.
It was a busy day for mathematicians and calculators, analysing the best possible outcomes for either Quins or Kabras to win the NSC.
The Ngong Road-based side needed to – at worst – finish fifth if they stood a chance of being crowned champions.
On the other hand, the sugar millers had to win Prinsloo Sevens and hope their closest rivals falter in their quest for fifth.
Luckily for Quins, Nondies played their grim reaper role again, beating Kabras 15-5 in the semis to bury the sugar millers’ dream of a second-ever crown.
Meanwhile, Quins thrashed Nakuru RFC 35-5 in the fifth-place final to all but get their hands on the coveted prize – their fourth since the first edition of NSC in 1999.
Murunga gives props to Nondies, noting that they were more than just giant-killers but a formidable side in their own right.
“Guys said that our players were already relaxed and underrated Nondies. No…Nondies were in high spirits and wanted something for their trophy cabinet. Remember, in last year’s circuit, they won the leg in Eldoret…so, they were a very strong team. They are a very quality side seeing as they beat the top three sides in the circuit in one weekend,” the coach explains.
Standout teams
It was one of the most competitive circuits in recent years with minnows such as Catholic University Monks, Kenyatta University Blak Blad, Masinde Muliro and Kabete Stallions, among others, turning heads with their impressive performances.
Their performances have not been lost on Murunga.
“I think Catholic Monks…the first four legs they were top of their game and they got into the quarterfinals and the semi-finals. For us, we lost only one tie against Kabras that was at Christie and going into Kakamega we won all our games. In Dala 7s, we lost to Oilers and then in Mombasa, we won all our matches,” the coach says.
The 7s season done and dusted, all eyes are on the 15s where many will be keenly following to see whether Quins sustain their newfound success.
Murunga is hoping their NSC win will rub off on the 15s side as they go toe-to-toe with their peers in the game.
“We have done our pre-season and are good to go. A lot of changes in the team in terms of new faces. With the way they are playing, our backline definitely is going to be very competitive. One of the things that worked for us this season is speed because we had very skillful wingers,” the coach observes.
Murunga adds: “ Of course with the 15s we still need wingers to score so it’s just to polish on our forward play and work on our setpieces then release our wingers to ensure they are good to go.”
It won’t be no child’s play, though, considering the presence of KCB and Kabras, who have won 12 Kenya Cup titles between them – and have emasculated competition in the top tier in recent years.
Quins have been the best of the rest for the last two seasons, reaching the knockouts on both occasions.
“The previous season we got into the semi-finals and were beaten by Kabras. Last season, we were surprised by Nondies…they beat us in the playoffs. This was basically because we lost several players to a Romanian team and some went to Canada. We lost most of our front rows and one hooker to Canada. It really destabilised the team,” he says.
Murunga, who is in third season at Quins, believes proper investment in the 15s will put them in a prime position to win their first ever Kenya Cup crown since 2011/12.
“You know 15s is more of investment and more of putting money into the team. You have to make sure the players are well motivated, their insurance is sorted and they are paid well as well as fed properly. That’s where Kabras have been tops as far as ensuring their players are in a top environment,” the gaffer explains.
All circumstances notwithstanding, Murunga is adamant that Quins have their eyes trailed on a ninth Kenya Cup crown, come what may.
“As a community club, yes we are struggling…so if you are a corporate out there, you can come on board and support us. Nevertheless, we are not going to use that as an excuse. The players are motivated and we have a very good technical bench. One thing about Quins is that we have, if not the best, a very good technical bench in the country,” he says.
Hungry for more
Coach Murunga’s hunger for more is shared by his players, most of who were in high school when Quins last got their hands on silverware.
Winger Charles Kinyanjui is already dreaming of lifting the Kenya Cup trophy, noting how wonderful it would look on his CV.
“We are motivated for the Kenya Cup. We want to do better and that medal would really look good on my neck,” Kinyanjui says.
His sentiments are shared by Bradley Kwama who says he would also love to don the national jersey for the Sevens team in the World Rugby Series.
“Definitely, that would be the ultimate dream to play for Shujaa in the Series,” the winger says.
As one of Kenya’s rugby giants, Quins win in the NSC crown is a trip back to the yesteryears when they walked the local scene like a colossus.
For many who are young or old enough to remember when the mention of the name ‘Quins’ was enough to shudder opponents, the hope is that their latest win marks the beginning of a new era of dominance.
In that regard, Murunga and Co. have an unenviable task ahead of the 15s season.
