Kabras reveal secret to super Series success

National Sevens Series Circuit Winners 2017 Kabras Sugar. PHOTO | ONDARI OGEGA |

What you need to know:

  • Kabras Sugar coach Charles Cardovillis has attributed his club’s 2017 National Sevens Series success to good preparations, right philosophy and achievable targets.
  • Kabras Sugar might not have won Dala Sevens title but their 19-7 victory against Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad to finish third on Sunday at Mamboleo showground in Kisumu was enough to see them claim their maiden Series victory.
  • What catapulted the western Kenya sugar millers to their second major local rugby silverware after winning Kenya Cup in 2016 was their victories at the inaugural Sepetuka and Christie Sevens, the fourth and fifth legs of the Series.

Kabras Sugar coach Charles Cardovillis has attributed his club’s 2017 National Sevens Series success to good preparations, right philosophy and achievable targets.

Kabras Sugar might not have won Dala Sevens title but their 19-7 victory against Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad to finish third on Sunday at Mamboleo showground in Kisumu was enough to see them claim their maiden Series victory.

What catapulted the western Kenya sugar millers to their second major local rugby silverware after winning Kenya Cup in 2016 was their victories at the inaugural Sepetuka and Christie Sevens, the fourth and fifth legs of the Series.

Kabras, who had finished fifth at Driftwood and Prinsloo respectively and fourth at Kabeberi, collected 102 points as the Series defending champions Homeboyz settled for second place on 100 points after retaining the Dale Sevens title.

Kabeberi Sevens champions Impala Saracens settled for third place in the Series with 93 points, and KCB fourth on 87.

The title race went down to the wire as new sevens rugby talent emerged.

Impala’s Mark Kwemoi was named the Series Most Valuable Player.

Cardovillis singled out upcoming, enterprising Dominic Osino and Jacob Okumba as some of his players to watch for in future.

Cardovillis, who took over Kabras Sugar in May this year, said Kabras started the sevens season at Driftwood in Mombasa in good form, having gone through extensive strength and conditioning sessions with Richard Ochieng.

“Ochieng did a great job with the players and that is perhaps why we didn’t have threatening injuries.” He said the players bought into his philosophy. “They followed and played to instructions. That is the joy of any new coach.”

They might not have started well but Cardovillis was delighted that his players were able to rectify their mistakes to win Sepetuka and Christies.

“Every of the six events had major surprises, a clear indication how this year’s Series was competitive,” said Cardovillis, a former Kenya Sevens deputy coach and Kenya Harlequin director of coaching.

“We might have not achieved our target of 105 points but it was a great improvement from last year.”

Cardovillis praised Uganda Sevens back Philip Wokorach, who stood out alongside Kenya Sevens players Dan Sikuta and captain Brian Tanga.

“Sikuta played a massive role on and off the pitch.

“We had no big names in the side but the players did their business,” he said.