Sixteen teams are gearing up for the national secondary schools girls’ Sevens rugby championships to be held alongside the Safari 7s starting tomorrow in Nairobi.
The schools are drawn from across the country with Lake and Metropolitan regions having three teams each. Teams from up-country are expected in Nairobi today.
According to Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) development officer in charge of Lake Region, Laban Bosire, preliminary matches will be played at Kasarani on Thursday while quarter, semis and final will take place on Friday at the same venue.
National girls secondary schools defending champions Bar Chando from Lake Region face stiff opposition in Pool ‘A’ from Moi Girls Nasokol (West Pokot), Muthambi and Itigo (Mau Region). Pool ‘B’ will feature Metropolitan region’s Olympic, Rehema Academy (Nzoia), Mgahulu and Chief Mbogori.
Pool ‘C’ has Maono Educational Center, Loise Girls, Asumbi Girls (Lake Region) and Joserenes Girls High School. Favourites and Lake Region champions Rianyanchabera and Nakuru Day are in Pool ‘D’ alongside Daraja Academy and Bofu Secondary School.
The top two teams from each pool will qualify to the main cup quarter-finals.
Girls from Nasokol, Rehema, Rianyanchabera and Bar Chando benefitted from an extensive one-week talent development training organised by the Kenya Rugby Union at Ndiru Mixed Secondary School.
Rianyanchabera coach Joseph Okong’o has vowed to win the trophy. “I’m going for nothing less than the overall trophy though Nakuru is a good side,” he said.
He said the one-week training held in Kisumu last month has helped his girls, especially when it comes to passing the ball. “The girls can now pass up to 10 metre and in my training now I want them to pass up to 15 metres,” he added.