Menengai Oilers win Great Rift 10-a-side title

Menengai Oilers players celebrate after winning the 29th edition of Great Rift 10-a-side tournament on April 21, 2019 at the Nakuru Athletics Club. PHOTO | RICHARD MAOSI |

What you need to know:

  • In the fifth place match for the challenge trophy, Masinde Muliro University beat fellow students Strathmore Leos 35-10.
  • In the bronze match final category, Kenyatta University Blak Blad beat Kenya Commercial Bank 7-5 in an all Thika Road final match affair.
  • In the division two final match, Nakuru team "B" beat Stingers 5-0 to lift the trophy.

Menengai Oilers lifted the 29th edition of Great Rift 10-a-side rugby title for the first time when they humbled defending champions Homeboyz 10-5 in a thrilling final match at the Nakuru Athletics Club on Sunday.

"This is a culmination of hard work and kudos for the boys for proving they are equal to the big boys of Kenya rugby, " said an elated Oilers coach Gibson Weru.

"The boys put up a good show and congratulations to Oilers for winning the trophy, " said Homeboyz coach Simon Odongo.

In the final showdown, it was Homeboyz who opened the scoring account when Philip Mwanzo evaded a harsh tackle to score an unconverted try.

The Oilers, who were surprise finalists, reduced the deficit through a try by Anthony Kibet, before Derick Kioga added the second try.

However, Nyang'au Onyikwa missed both conversions for Oilers.

In an explosive semi final tie of the main cup, the high riding Menengai Oilers put up one of their best performance in the tournament, when they raided Kenya Commercial Bank to beat the fancied bankers 7-0 to sail into the last two.

After a barren first half, the Oilers, under the guidance of former Kenya Sevens player Gibson Weru, went full blast when 20-year-old forward Harold Anduvate, who is also a fourth year procurement student at Egerton University, scored his second try in the tournament.

Davies Nyaudi stepped forward to execute the conversion to deny the bankers a place in the finals.

In the second semi final match, defending champions Homeboyz danced their way to the finals when they overcame a stubborn Kenyatta University's Blak Blad 19-0.

The deejays scored their first try through Michael Nyakundi, who booted the conversion, while the second try was scored by Barry Otieno with Brian Ayimba, who is the son of the former sevens head coach Benjamin Ayimba, scoring the conversion.

In the challenge trophy finals, hosts Nakiru made sure they grabbed a silverware when they beat Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) 22-0.

In the fifth place match for the challenge trophy, Masinde Muliro University beat fellow students Strathmore Leos 35-10.

In the bronze match final category, Kenyatta University Blak Blad beat Kenya Commercial Bank 7-5 in an all Thika Road final match affair.

In the division two final match, Nakuru team "B" beat Stingers 5-0 to lift the trophy.