New book on history of Kenyan rugby to be unveiled
Namibia's flanker Wian Conradie (left) scores his team's second try during the Rugby Africa Cup rugby union final match against Kenya at the Maurice David Stadium in Aix-en-Provence, southeastern France, on July 10, 2022.
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- Oloo noted that the interesting saga of the changing structures of the administration of the game, the competitions and the clubs is also a subject that needs to be recorded for posterity.
A book documenting Kenya’s rugby history dating back 100 years will be launched on Thursday at the Nairobi Club.
The book 100 Years of Rugby in Kenya that has 288 pages has been authored by former Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) secretary general Zack Oloo.
Oloo said the book is as a result of research and records of the development of the game through the last century and includes the best photographs and insights from interviews with legends of the game.
It also has snippets of articles by renowned rugby reporters and writers, testimonials, anecdotes and real life stories of rugby lovers in East Africa in a lovely narration of the history of the game with utmost fidelity to facts.
Oloo, who played for Mwamba Rugby Club, indicated that the book also contains matches played by Kenya Simbas in the period and other statistics.
Oloo notes that the origins, development and history of the game in the East African territory and Kenya, particularly, is documented in snippets ,in a variety of publications and remains largely unavailable to the rugby enthusiasts and the Kenyan sportsman and historian.
“The rugby administrator struggles to trace the history of the development of the game including past fixtures and results, while the younger Kenyan enthusiast lacks informative reference on the game in the past days in any easily accessible form, the game is much the poorer for it,” said Oloo.
Oloo says that there exists a gap in documenting the history of the game in the region as no definitive version has been written, compiled and published to date.
“Major pillars of the early games are disappearing with memories of the glory days of yore and pioneers may soon be lost to the present and future enthusiast,” said Oloo, adding that the concepts and records of the outgoing and incoming tours including the visits by the famed British Lions may soon be lost.
Oloo noted that the interesting saga of the changing structures of the administration of the game, the competitions and the clubs is also a subject that needs to be recorded for posterity.
“It’s unimaginable to many present enthusiasts to learn that Nondescripts were based at Parklands Sports Club since inception in 1912 up to 1998,” said Oloo, adding that Mwamba RFC was formed by the stalwarts of the first Mean Machine that won Kenya Cup in 1977 and was the “declaration of independence” of the Africa rugby player.
