Homeboyz eye a brace at Prinsloo

Alven Otieno (right) of Homeboyz tackles Mike Long of Western Bulls during the Dala Sevens at Mamboleo Showground, Kisumu, on August 9. Homeboyz are determined to push the National Sevens Series to a photo-finish by going for another victory Safaricom Prinsloo Sevens this weekend in Nakuru. FILE PHOTO | TOM OTIENO |

What you need to know:

Safaricom Prinsloo Sevens draw:

  • Pool A: Homeboyz, Kabras, Impala, Mombasa
  • Pool B: KCB, Nondies, Western Bulls, Masaku
  • Pool C: Mwamba, Quins, Catholic, KCA
  • Pool D: Nakuru, Strathmore, Kisumu, Daystar

Homeboyz are determined to push the National Sevens Series to a photo-finish by going for another victory Safaricom Prinsloo Sevens this weekend in Nakuru.

Head coach Simon Odongo wants his boys to put their feet firm on the ground for a repeat of last weekend’s Driftwood Sevens performance on the floor of the Great Rift.

“It’s us who hold the key to a great finish to the National Sevens Series and that will happen if we are to claim another victory at Prinsloo,” said Odongo adding that they will take it easy and stick to the basics.

“We shall up the tempo and put in more extra work especially at the breakdowns and contact situation,” he said.

It’s Homeboyz, who halted Kenya Commercial Bank’s (KCB) intentions for a hat trick when they claimed a thrilling 21-17 victory in the final of the Safaricom Driftwood Sevens last Weekend in Mombasa.

KCB beat Kenya Harlequin 24-0 to lift Kabeberi Sevens title before edging out Homeboyz 21-5 to claim Dala Sevens title. However, Homeboyz would have their day in the sun, winning at the Mombasa Sports Club last weekend.

KCB will be putting their Prinsloo title, the penultimate leg of the National Sevens Series this weekend before the last leg of the Christie Sevens the other weekend.

KCB top the Series with 63 points, five better than Homeboyz while Nakuru are third with 42 points. Kenya Harlequin and Strathmore share fourth place spoils with 41 points each followed by Impala 36 and Mwamba 32.

Homeboyz are top seeds at Prinsloo where they have been handed an arguably easy Pool A that has Driftwood Plate losing semi-finalists Kabras, Impala Saracens, who won Driftwood Bowl and Mombasa.

KCB highlights Pool B where their main rivals are Nondescripts, who lost in Driftwood Plate semis, Western Bulls and Masaku.

Western Bulls lost 0-5 to Impala in Bowl final at Driftwood while Masaku won the Division Two event in Mombasa to get promotion to the main event in Nakuru.

“We are still at the top and let our rivals know that we are not ready to come out,” warned KCB coach Curtis Olago.

Mwamba, who edged out Nakuru 12-5 to finish third, their best show this year after reaching Plate semis at Kabeberi and Bowl semis in Dala, are in Pool C alongside Driftwood Plate losing finalists Quins, Catholic University and Kenya College of Accountancy University.

“I have been encouraged by our improved show in Driftwood. The young players have come through with the older players stepping up,” said Mwamba coach John Mbai.

Nakuru that are handled by former Kenya Sevens player Gibson Weru are in Pool D with Strathmore, Kisumu and Daystar.