Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) Director of Fixtures and Competitions Leslie Mwangale has outlined three key strategies Kenya Cup sides should embrace if they are to end Kabras Sugar RFC’s dominance in the 15s game. Kabras have established themselves as the team to beat in Kenyan rugby, having won six Kenya Cup titles, including five consecutive championships from the 2021 season through the 2025/2026 campaign.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThe Kakamega-based side underlined their dominance by defeating traditional rivals KCB RFC 14-8 in the 2025/2026 Kenya Cup final on Saturday, 9 May, to secure their sixth overall title.Their success has extended to the Enterprise Cup, where they have also claimed six titles, including a sixth consecutive triumph following a 25-12 victory over Stanbic Black Pirates on 30 May.With the new 15s season scheduled to kick off in November, Mwangale believes rival clubs must strengthen their structures, invest in quality players and develop reliable talent pipelines if they are to mount a serious challenge against the defending champions.Humphrey Kayange impressed with Kenya Sevens rebuild after relegation“Three things: The first one is to be very organized in terms of how you plan your club; the second one is making sure you have a good preseason, quality players, and your pipeline,” Mwangale said.He pointed to Kabras’ ability to nurture young talent as one of the key factors behind their sustained success, urging other clubs to adopt a similar approach to recruitment and player development.The Sugarmen boast an impressive talent pipeline, with; Rayvon Ambale, Michael Lukusi, Jackson Siketi and Adrian Khwesa among the emerging stars who have progressed through their ranks.“When you look at Kabras, you see the likes of Lukusi and Siketa coming up. Those are very young kids, and they will serve that club for a very long time,” he added.##NAJAVA_MECA_10036869##Mwangale challenged clubs to expand their recruitment networks by identifying promising players in high schools and nationwide leagues, arguing that investing in young talent would help them build competitive squads capable of sustaining their campaigns over several seasons.“To other teams, ensure that you have a great pipeline of players; go to high schools, nationwide leagues, and recruit young players, and you will be able to sustain your campaign,” he said.Beyond the battle for domestic supremacy, Mwangale also hopes the upcoming campaign will provide more opportunities for emerging players to make the transition from age-grade rugby to the senior game.He singled out the integration of Chipu players into senior club sides as one of his key expectations for the season, noting the importance of creating opportunities for young players to develop at the highest domestic level.Knight Otuoma lists coaches who shaped her journey ahead of Dakar Youth Olympics“My wish for this season is only one: to see more Chipu players being incorporated into senior sides,” he said.Chipu, Kenya’s age-grade national rugby team, provides a pathway for emerging players to progress into senior rugby. Their integration into club structures would give them valuable experience while helping teams build depth and sustain competitiveness.Mwangale further expressed his desire to see quality matches throughout the season and a new champion emerge, believing that a more competitive title race would benefit Kenyan rugby.“The other expectation for me this season is quality games, and hopefully we get a new champion so that competition goes up,” he said.South Africa 7s legend predicts bright future for Kenyan rugbyThe new campaign will begin with an early test for two of the country's biggest rugby clubs, with defending champions Kabras scheduled to host KCB RFC on Saturday, 21 November.The fixture marks a departure from recent seasons, when the two traditional title rivals have often met towards the end of the regular campaign in matches that have helped determine the direction of the title race.
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