Menengai Oilers clinch Prinsloo Sevens title after six years wait
Menengai Oilers players celebrate with the trophy after winning the 14th edition of the Prinsloo Sevens tournament at Nakuru Athletics Club in Nakuru on July 10, 2022.
What you need to know:
- This is the first major trophy that the Oilers are winning under coach Gibson Weru after six years
- Strathmore stand-in coach Thomas Lagat said they squandered their chances allowing their opponents to dominate the match
- In a thrilling final, Oilers scored their first try through the tournament's Most Valuable Player Steve Arunga
Menengai Oilers playing like a well-oiled machine won their first silverware at home soil when they beat the hard-fighting Strathmore University Leos 12-7 to lift the Prinsloo Sevens title at Nakuru Athletics Club on Sunday.
This is the first major trophy that the Oilers are winning under coach Gibson Weru after six years.
“This is a great moment for the Oilers and as the head coach this is a great feeling to win such a major tournament at home soil. We have extremely worked hard for the past six years and it has paid big dividends,” said coach Weru.
“This victory now makes me to work hard to win the Kakamega Sevens next weekend and possibly clinch the Seven circuit series,” added Weru, a former Sevens national team player.
“We will try to win back-to-back in Kakamega because I have a team capable of delivering that kind of victory,” said Weru.
Strathmore stand-in coach Thomas Lagat said they squandered their chances allowing their opponents to dominate the match.
“Rugby is a game of chances and the moment you fail to use yours then your goose is cooked. Oilers played a hard game and pinned us in the opening stages of the match and that was our undoing,” said Lagat.
In a thrilling final, Oilers scored their first try through the tournament's Most Valuable Player Steve Arunga.
Dennis Abuktse made the conversion for a slim 7-0 half-time lead.
On resumption, Leos took the game to the Oilers' half and it came as no surprise when Brandson Madigu reduced the deficit with a superb try which was converted by Nyaonya Moseti.
Leos shocked favourites Homeboyz 26-5 in the first semi-final and in the second semi-final Menengai Oilers beat Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) 19-14 in a tightly contested match.
In the quarter-finals of the Main Cup, Homeboyz started the campaign on a winning note when they taught Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) a rugby lesson beating them 26 -0.
Leos were on firing mood when they destroyed Kenya Harlequins 24-19 in a balanced match.
Menengai Oilers under coach Weru overcame Kabras Sugar 14-7 to sail into the last four while Kabeberi Sevens winners Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) were made to sweat before beating Mwamba 12-7.
Any hopes of Homeboyz completing back-to-back victories went up in smoke when they were destroyed 26-5 by Strathmore University Leos in the semi-finals of the Main Cup.
In the third place play-off of the Main Cup, Homeboyz beat KCB 21-10.
Nondies won the Challenge Cup when they beat Catholic Monks 21-0 in a thrilling final.
In reaching the final, Nondies gored Western Bulls 26-10 in the first semi-final and in the second semi-final Catholic Monks dismissed Impala 31-0.
