There was a time when playing rugby was less about what was in your pocket and more about what was on your chest.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThe jersey and the badge meant something. Players turned up because they belonged to a club, because their teammates were family and because representing that community carried a sense of pride that money could not easily buy.Raphael Nzomo remembers those days.More than four decades after he first played rugby, the former Kenya Harlequin player still speaks about the game with the enthusiasm of someone who never really left it behind.##NAJAVA_MECA_9980515##But the rugby he sees today is changing.The rise of financially backed clubs and the gradual shift towards semi-professionalism have created opportunities for players to earn from the sport. At the same time, however, Nzomo believes the transformation is widening the gap between corporate-backed teams and community clubs.“The community clubs are suffering because of the new cult in rugby where you need to be able to pay players,” he says calmly.It is a change Nzomo understands, even if he worries about its consequences.Andy Cole Omollo details challenges of adapting to life in Japan“As soon as you get a club tilting towards being professional, for example, like Kabras whose players get remunerated, then it becomes difficult for the other clubs to compete, and rugby is no longer enjoyable because nowadays it is semi-professional,” he says.For him, the issue is not that players should not be paid.Rather, it is about ensuring that the clubs without deep financial backing are not pushed to the margins of a sport they have helped build for generations.And few people understand that community structure better than Nzomo.##NAJAVA_MECA_9980516##He was part of the Kenya Harlequin side that won the Christie Sevens in 1986 and 1987, and despite stepping away from playing decades ago, his connection with the club has remained.Today, he is among those former players helping keep Quins moving.“We are just former players; we are not corporates or all that, but we keep the club going by sponsorship; we help them with the things that they need to do,” he says.That support is increasingly necessary.George Nyambua provides injury update after knee surgeryFor community clubs competing on the National 7s Circuit, simply getting from one tournament to another can be a financial challenge. Transport, accommodation, meals and other operational costs quickly add up, while gate collections rarely provide enough to cover them.“They cannot get that money out of gate collections. That is not even enough to hire a bus to take you to Embu,” Nzomo reveals.It is a reality that threatens to make rugby increasingly inaccessible to clubs that do not have a corporate sponsor behind them.Nzomo's concern goes beyond the fortunes of individual clubs.##NAJAVA_MECA_9980414##Community sides have traditionally been an important part of Kenya's rugby ecosystem. They provide a platform where young players can develop, compete and eventually attract attention from higher-level teams and national selectors.If those clubs disappear, he believes the consequences will eventually be felt higher up the rugby pyramid.“If we do not support the community clubs, which makes it easier for grassroots players to be discovered, then rugby will not have a great future in this country,” he says.It is why he wants corporate Kenya to look at community rugby differently.Impala RFC winger Derrick Kinyari opens up on decision to relocate to USAFor years, sponsorship has often been viewed through the prism of visibility: how many people will see a brand, how much exposure a company will receive, and what immediate commercial return it can expect.Nzomo believes there is more to it.There was a period when corporate involvement in Kenyan rugby was far more visible, with several companies and banks fielding teams.That landscape has changed.##NAJAVA_MECA_9978876##“Banks traditionally had rugby teams; they do not have them anymore- just KCB,” he says.Nzomo believes that retreat has left an opportunity for companies willing to engage with the sport differently.“Kenya’s rugby is growing faster than football,” he reveals.He argues that Kenya already has a strong rugby identity on the continent, particularly in sevens, and that this gives companies a platform through which to connect with fans, communities and young people.Darwin Mukidza opens up on reason for joining Menengai OilersThe challenge, however, is making corporates see that value.“Every corporate wants to advance its own brand. If we could show them that the aligning of their brand with rugby is a win for all parties, maybe that would interest them,” he says.For community clubs, that relationship could extend beyond putting a company logo on a jersey.Nzomo believes corporate social responsibility programmes could support grassroots development while allowing companies to make a meaningful contribution to the communities in which they operate.##NAJAVA_MECA_9978892##“Just in terms of CSR, if they did that, then they would advance the game,” he says.Nzomo is also looking inward.He believes former players, many of whom have gone on to become business leaders and professionals, have a responsibility to give something back to the clubs that shaped them.“It is up to us, the industry leaders, to talk to one another and say, why don’t we help to grow this sport of ours,” he says.Mean Machine feted during UoN’s 75th graduation ceremonyHe has attempted to do exactly that with Quins, supporting the club within his means and helping it navigate the demands of the 7s circuit.“I have done my bit. I have done quite a lot within my means to promote this club of ours within my ability. That is why they have been able to travel around for the 7s circuit,” he says.But he is also realistic.Former players cannot be expected to carry community clubs indefinitely. The clubs themselves have to find sustainable ways of generating income.##NAJAVA_MECA_9978907##Quins, for example, has commercialised its bar by renting it out and directing the proceeds towards the club. Events, partnerships and other commercial ventures can also provide additional sources of income through sponsorships, gate collections and bar sales.There may be no single solution, but Nzomo believes community clubs have to explore every available avenue.Ultimately, Nzomo's argument is not really about whether rugby players should be paid.It is about what happens to the culture that existed before the money arrived.Scottish, French sides highlight confirmed teams for Safari7sHe remembers a game where players travelled together, played for their clubs and formed friendships that lasted long after their playing careers ended.That sense of belonging, he believes, remains one of the greatest strengths of community rugby.The challenge for Kenyan rugby is finding a way for that culture to coexist with the realities of a modern, increasingly professional sport.Players deserve opportunities to earn from their talent. At the same time, the community clubs that identify and develop that talent need enough support to survive.##NAJAVA_MECA_9978882##For Nzomo, the responsibility cannot rest with one group.Former players must give back. Clubs must become more commercially creative. Corporates must recognise the value of rugby beyond traditional advertising. And the wider rugby community must recognise that the strength of the elite game ultimately depends on the health of its grassroots.