The 35th Driftwood 7s Rugby Circuit, the fifth leg in the SportPesa 7s Rugby Circuit, concluded successfully at the Mombasa Sports Club over the weekend.
Kenya Harlequins (Quins) emerged victorious, beating rivals KCB Rugby 15-12 in a hotly contested match. Quins won themselves Sh100,000, with KCB Rugby receiving Sh50,000.
Kenyatta University’s BlakBlad beat last year’s winners, Kabras Rugby Club, 7-5 to settle for third place.
Top-seeded with 97 points, Quins remain favourites to clinch the overall title of the SportPesa 7s Rugby Circuit going into Prinsloo 7s in one week’s time. Kabras Sugar is second with 88 points, while KCB is third with 86 points now.
Quins have since managed to reach at least the semi-finals of every leg this season and have won two, the other being Ingo 7s in Kakamega. Captain Richel Wangila expressed confidence in winning the Princeloo 7s, and overall title of the SportPesa 7s circuit.
“This is our second win, and we are not about to slow down on our onslaught against our opponents. We are set to win Princeloo 7s and look forward to an energetic game just like we have displayed here today,” said Wangila.
KCB Rugby put up a commendable performance, drawing first blood early on in the game, showcasing the high level of competition in this year’s edition with a well converted try and another unconverted one putting them in full control at 12-0. Quins would, however, equalise with two tries of their own, as fans cheered on, to set up an intriguing final.
National Youth Service 7s emerged the winners in the Division 2 category to bag themselves the Sh50,000 prize money.
The event attracted huge crowds, who came to witness the best of Kenyan rugby talent. Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Nassir, who attended the final event, commended the Mombasa Sports Club for their efforts in promoting rugby and sportsmanship in the region.
He also highlighted the importance of such events in fostering community participation in sports. “We are proud to host the Driftwood 7s in Mombasa, a city known for its vibrant hospitality and culture. This tournament not only brought together the best rugby talent but also promoted tourism, healthy competition, and unity in sports,” said the governor.
Mercy Kabui, representing SportPesa, said the successful tournament reinforces SportPesa’s commitment to 7s Rugby in Kenya, while also creating opportunity for the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) to identify new talent as the teams also warm up ahead of the Safari 7s slated for 13th and 14th October.
“Driftwood 7s remains a unique and crucial leg of the 7S Circuit with one of the best fan experiences of any leg of the tournament. I congratulate all the participating clubs and players alike even as we look forward to the final event of the circuit, Prinsloo 7s, happening on the 14 and 15 September in Nakuru,” said Kabui.
The tournament now ushers in the Tujiamini Initiative that will be focused on the coastal region in October.
Tujiamini, powered by SportPesa, aims to nurture and support sports and sports-related talent to help improve the quality of sport at the grassroots and community level.
The Driftwood 7s is part of the larger SportPesa 7s Rugby Circuit, which continues to play an instrumental role in elevating the standard of rugby in Kenya. This is the second consecutive year SportPesa, with 16.5 million commitments, is supporting the KRU National 7s circuit.
By Ian Chepkuto
