Who will win the 2024 National Sevens title? Final showdown in Nakuru this weekend
Nakuru RFC officials alongside Prinsloo Sevens partners, from left: Ken Chumo, Nakuru RFC Chairman Aggrey Omiyo , Nakuru RFC Tournament Director Kevin Rodgrigues, Felix Mburu and Nakuru RFC Assistant Tournament Director Douglas Dodi ,during a presser at the Nakuru Athletic Club on September 11, 2024 . At least 36 teams are expected to participate in Prinsloo 7s , the grand finale of the National sevens circuit this weekend.
Going into the final leg of the Kenya National Sevens circuit, many are eager to see who will be crowned the overall winner of the 2024 National Sevens champion.
With the games set to be played this weakened in Nakuru.
The Nakuru Athletics Club (NAC) will play host to the Prinsloo 7s on September 14-15, a battleground where the sport's elite will go head-to-head in the hope of triumphing at the end of the two-day tournament.
The home crowd will be eager to see who will win the Prinsloo 7s title in its 15th year.
Arguably, three teams have dominated the 2024 National Sevens circuit. Kenya Harlequins, Kabras Sugar and KCB RFC top the table respectively. Depending on where your allegiances lie, rugby fans will be betting on each of them.
With back-to-back wins in the Kakamega Ingo and Driftwood 7s and their show in the Christie 7s finals where they lost to Kabras by five points Quins will be a formidable side when the curtain rises on the Prinsloo 7s in Nakuru.
With a 97-point lead at the top of the standings, Quins will need to keep up the momentum and perhaps lift the trophy and title they last won in 2012.
Should they stamp their dominance on the Prinsloo 7s, they will cement a fourth win on the National Sevens circuit's roll of honour.
Nine points adrift, Kabras Sugar will have to play tactically as they lost out to KCB RFC in the 2023 championship, despite topping the log going into the final round of the circuit at Kabeberi 7s.
Like their rivals, the Sugar Men have also lifted two trophies in the Christie 7s, where they beat Quins 17-12 in the final.
They were particularly dominant in the Dala 7s, where they thrashed Menenagi Oilers 24-5 to claim the title.
Ahead of the Prinsloo 7s, Kabras will have to sail through the group stage, where they will be paired in Pool D with Daystar Falcons, Stallions Rugby and Kabarak University, the current top seeds in Division Two, and hopefully trample their opponents all the way to the final to cement their title.
In third place with 86 points, the 2023 National Sevens Champions will be hoping to defend their title. Their 22 points as Cup finalists would take them close to, if not to, winning it all should they lift the Prinsloo trophy and Quins fail to progress beyond the pool stages.
On the other hand, Bankers' triumph in the final stage of the circuit will ensure they retain their title if Kabras and Quins are knocked out in the pool stages.
They currently have a win to their name, having beaten Menengai oilers 29-7 in the Kabeberi 7s.
These three teams are the ones to watch heading into the final round. The big question is who will win the overall National Sevens title in 2024?
Pool A pits Kenya Harlequins against Zetech University, Menengai Oilers and Mombasa RFC, while Pool B pits KCB against Nondescripts, Mwamba FC and Nakuru RFC.
Pool C will be made up of KU BlackBlad, Strathmore Leos, MMUST and Catholic Monks.
Defending champions Prinsloo7s Kabras are in Pool D alongside Daystar Falcons, Stallions Rugby and Kabarak University.