KCB Rugby head coach Andrew Amonde has attributed the Bankers’ Driftwood 7s final defeat to the absence of several key players after Kabras RFC claimed a 15-5 victory at the Mombasa Sports Club on Sunday, 23 August.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThe Bankers, who have won two legs of the National 7s Circuit, were unable to complete another title-winning run after Kabras produced a physical display to secure the Driftwood crown.KCB entered the tournament without top scorer Floyd Wabwire, who was named in the star-studded RugbyTown USA squad for the 2026 RugbyTown 7s tournament in Glendale, Colorado.Blak Blad head coach leaves after 15 years to join moneybags KCBInfluential forward Elvis Olukusi was also unavailable after travelling to France to represent Monaco Rugby Sevens in the In Extenso Supersevens. Olukusi had captained KCB to victory at the 2026 Prinsloo Sevens, where he was named Player of the Final.Nygel Amaitsa and Bob Muhati were also missing from the Bankers’ squad, leaving Amonde with a depleted side as KCB battled through to the final.“From the way we played from the start of Driftwood, there was something that didn’t click for us.##NAJAVA_MECA_9915616##We were missing a few of our guys. Our top scorer Floyd was out, and we were missing Olukusi, one of our big forwards. But we were able to fight through the tournament and reach the final,” Amonde said.Amonde admitted Kabras deserved the victory, praising the side’s physicality and hunger.“Kabras is a physical side, and they outplayed us, finally carrying the day. But the next stop, we will be ready to compete again,” he said.Kenyan rugby star makes long-awaited debut in CanadaThe KCB coach expects the absent quartet to return for the Embu 7s, which could provide a major boost as the Bankers look to strengthen their grip on the circuit standings.“Hopefully, by the time we go to Embu, most of them will be back in the squad, and we will have a better side for the tournament,” he added.Despite the final defeat, KCB remain top of the standings with 76 points, three ahead of Kabras, who moved to 73 points following their Driftwood triumph.##NAJAVA_MECA_9915605##Menengai Oilers sit third on 58 points, while Daystar Falcons and Kenya Harlequin are tied on 52 points.With the title race finely poised, Amonde says recovery will be KCB’s immediate priority before turning their attention to Embu.“Now we are focusing on maximum recovery for Embu 7s. Embu is everyone’s trophy to take, and it is only three points between Kabras and us, so anyone can take it,” he said.Emotional Amonde on how family welfare made him drop Kenya Sevens for KCB“For us, the main focus is recovery and then coming back stronger for Embu. We just want to be above Kabras so that we can have more points heading into the final tournament of the series,” he said.The National 7s Circuit now moves to Embu for the penultimate leg, set for Saturday, 5 to Sunday, 6 September at the Moi Stadium.Kabras will head into the tournament with renewed confidence as they look to overtake KCB at the top, while the Bankers will be keen to restore their winning momentum and widen the three-point gap before the final leg of the series.##NAJAVA_MECA_9915740##
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