Nakuru rugby teams show grit and growth in this year's 7s series

The 2025 Kenya National 7s Circuit tested endurance, depth, and skill across six demanding legs and Nakuru’s rugby giants, Menengai Oilers and Nakuru RFC Wanyore, both emerged with stories of growth, resilience, and unfinished business.

For the Oilers, guided by head coach Geoffrey Ominde, this year marked an important step forward.

The side finished third overall (second runners-up) with 94 points, an improvement from their 2024 fourth-place finish with 83 points.

 “I would say the season has been good. The highlight was making it to the cup finals at Christie Sevens and reaching two semifinals out of six. That was a major improvement for us,” Ominde tells Mtaa Wangu.

He however notes, despite strong showings, inconsistency cost the Oilers valuable points. Early exits in Driftwood and Kabeberi 7s denied them a top-two finish, while even the home support at Prinsloo Sevens wasn’t enough to propel them past KCB in the semis.

 Still, individual brilliance shone through. Denis Abukuse and Daniel Kipchirchir were both named in the Christie Sevens Dream Team, while John Okoth earned recognition in the Prinsloo Sevens Dream Team.

Ominde says such honours were bigger than individual accolades.

 “When a player makes the dream team, it motivates the whole group,” he says, acknowledging the effort put in by each player.

 He further notes the Oilers' season was also defined by their youthful core. Mentioning nearly half the squad were junior players, with young stars like Brian Chacha, Daniel Kipchirchir, and Glacious Owino proving their worth in high-pressure matches.

 Ominde notes this deliberate mix was part of a long-term plan to build depth and skill in the team.

 Across town, Nakuru RFC (Wanyore), under the stewardship of Oscar Ouma, also registered steady progress.

Though they didn’t reach the cup-semi stages as they wanted, the head coach says the season was a clear step forward.

 “It is an improvement because if you look at the points, we surpassed what we had last season. Our skill level and game understanding are much better, and that we will carry into the fifteens season and hope for better performance.” Ouma says.

This season Wanyore registered both points and ranking improvement ,pushing up to position eight with 59 points, an improvement from last year's 10^th place finish with 50 points.

 Also, Wanyore’s captain, Christant Ojwang’, was named to the Driftwood Sevens Dream Team after leading the side at the Coast tournament. Ouma says the recognition was both an individual reward and a team motivator.

 “For a player to be named in a dream team is a good morale booster. It shows the hard work is paying off, and it encourages the rest to push harder knowing they too can be among the best.” He notes.

Capturing their low moments, Ouma notes their inconsistency during the Nairobi legs (Kabeberi and Christie Sevens) was their Achilles heel, keeping them out of the cup quarters. Yet narrow losses against heavyweights like KCB and Kabras showed the side is closing the gap.

Asked if he had a man of the season from the club he applauded the team for their dedication saying “I won’t pinpoint one man of the season, everyone contributed in their roles.” 

Taken together, the 2025 circuit underscored Nakuru’s growing rugby influence. The Oilers showed they can challenge the Nairobi powerhouses, while Wanyore proved they are edging closer despite setbacks.

This year’s overall circuit title went to the bankers KCB who clinched their fifth overall circuit title, after edging out their fierce rivals Kabras Sugar with a hard-fought 12–5 win in the Dala Sevens final in Kisumu, the sixth and last leg of the season.