Rugby

Kenya Simbas back-rower Bethuel Anami is set for a return to France after securing a move to US Tours Rugby.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsAnami will join the team which competes in Fédérale 1, the fifth tier of the French rugby union league system. The division sits below Top 14, Pro D2, Nationale 1 and Nationale 2, with clubs competing in regionalised pools during the regular season.Why Strathmore Leos’ Patrick Kluivert went against the grain to play rugbyUS Tours are placed in Pool 1, with the top-performing sides advancing to the championship playoffs for the Trophée Jean-Prat and the opportunity to earn promotion to Nationale 2.The club has a rich history, having competed in France’s First Division between 1951 and 1954. US Tours also reached the second level of French rugby during the professional era and played in Pro D2 before relegation following the 2001-02 season.##NAJAVA_MECA_9930427##After spending 14 years battling through the lower amateur divisions, the clu..

Menengai Oilers winger Glacious Owino has credited former teammate Dennis Abukuse for inspiring the confidence that has propelled him to the top of the National 7s Circuit scoring charts.Owino has been one of the standout performers of the circuit, enjoying a particularly impressive run in the opening legs.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsHe lit up the second leg in Kisumu, finishing the tournament as both the top try scorer and overall leading points scorer.His fine form continued at the Kabeberi 7s, where he completed a back-to-back feat by once again claiming the top try Scorer and top points Scorer awards.##NAJAVA_MECA_9928328##The performances have placed Owino firmly in the race for the individual circuit honours.He currently has 12 tries and 84 points, sitting just behind Kabras Sugar’s Rayvon Ambale at the top of the charts.For Owino, however, his breakthrough has been built less on a change in approach and more on hard work, consistency and the opportunity to play r..

Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL), through its flagship Tusker brand, has injected Ksh1.5 million into the Embu Sevens, the penultimate leg of the 2026 National Sevens Circuit, scheduled for Saturday, 5 to Sunday, 6 September, at Embu Stadium.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThe sponsorship will support tournament logistics and enhance the fan experience through activations at the Tusker Village and the official after-party.Why Strathmore Leos will feature at Embu 7s despite relegationThe investment continues Tusker’s involvement in the 2026 National Sevens Circuit, having also supported the Prinsloo, Dala, Kabeberi and Driftwood Sevens.Embu Sevens tournament director Wilkister Miranga welcomed the sponsorship, saying preparations for the tournament were on track.##NAJAVA_MECA_9928331##“Preparations for Embu Sevens are progressing well, and we are confident that we are ready to host the teams and fans this weekend. Embu Stadium provides an ideal location for supporters to come t..

For Eddy Wambugu, getting back on a rugby pitch was not always a certainty.There was a time when the Daystar Falcons halfback could not picture himself returning to the game he loved.An injury that began as a problem in his right wrist during the 2025 Dala 7s in September had gradually become something much bigger; physically, mentally and emotionally draining.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsHe kept playing through the 15s season after sustaining the injury, hoping he could manage the pain.But eventually, his wrist could not allow him to carry on.“The injury got worse, and I decided to focus on recovering because getting better was more important than playing,” Wambugu recalled.##NAJAVA_MECA_922053##What followed was a long recovery period that tested his patience and, at one point, his belief that he still had a future in rugby.“Recovery has taken time. There was a point where I felt like I could not come back to rugby. I even wanted to stop playing and focus on other thin..

Menengai Oilers centre Paul Mutsami has pointed out the main difference between Kenyan rugby and Ugandan rugby. According to Mutsami, rugby in Uganda is more unpredictable as only a handful of clubs have established themselves as perennial title contenders.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsMutsami, who spent last season with Uganda Premiership side Victoria Sharks RFC, made the comparison after returning to Kenya and joining Menengai Oilers ahead of the 2026-2027 Kenya Cup season.“Ugandan rugby is still growing, but the good thing is that it is very competitive. You never really know which team is going to win. Here in Kenya, you can almost predict that it will be Kabras, KCB or Oilers, but in Uganda, any team can win or lose on their day,” the talented backrower-cum-center told Mozzart Sport. The 2023 Kenya Simbas Test debutant enjoyed a successful spell with Victoria Sharks, helping the Kampala-based university side reach the Uganda Premiership quarter-finals during the 202..

Uganda 7s used the Driftwood 7s in Mombasa as a crucial test of their readiness for the World Rugby HSBC SVNS Division 3 Africa Qualifiers. The Cranes walked away from the tournament with four wins from six matches.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsThe Ugandans, who will host the qualifiers in Kampala from Saturday, 26 to Sunday, 27 September, fielded a relatively strong squad in Mombasa as part of their preparations for the crucial tournament. Uganda will become the third African country to host an HSBC SVNS tournament after South Africa and Kenya.##NAJAVA_MECA_922035##The Cranes opened their campaign with a 27-14 victory over Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad.They overcame an early scare after Blad responded to Uganda’s opening score with a converted try under the posts.Malcom Okello was instrumental in Uganda’s victory as the Cranes settled into the tournament with a convincing win.Their second match, however, presented a tougher challenge against reigning National 7s Circui..

Daystar Falcons captain Clinton Amukwachi has opened up on the challenges he faced during his recovery from a Grade Two ACL sprain that sidelined him for part of the National 7s Circuit.Download our MozzartSport App For More NewsAmukwachi sustained the injury during the Ruff n Tuff 7s in a match against Impala. After seeking medical attention, he was diagnosed with the ACL sprain and was forced to watch his teammates from the sidelines as he embarked on rehabilitation.The recovery process proved challenging for the Falcons captain, particularly because he lives in Athi River and had to travel to Nairobi for regular medical check-ups.##NAJAVA_MECA_9922045##“Recovery has not been easy. It has been hard, and there have been a lot of challenges. I live in Athi River, so commuting from Athi River to Nairobi for check-ups was very challenging because of the distance,” Amukwachi said.However, the toughest part for the towering captain was being unable to contribute on the pitch while his team..

Kabras RFC flyhalf Jone Kubu has opened up on the difficult months he spent on the sidelines after receiving a red card in the Kenya Cup semifinal against Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsKubu was sent off early in the second half at the Kakamega Showground for a dangerous foul, resulting in an automatic suspension that ruled him out of the Kenya Cup final against KCB Rugby.The suspension came at a crucial stage of the season, forcing the experienced Kenya international to miss the Kenya Cup final, the Enterprise Cup and the opening two legs of the National 7s Circuit.Former Kenya Sevens star bags major title in USFor Kubu, being forced to watch his teammates from the sidelines proved particularly difficult.“It feels so nice and awesome to be back. I missed playing with the boys. Watching them from the outside is quite different from being on the pitch with them. I’m so happy and excited to be back in the mix with the boys,” he told Mozzart Sp..

A totally sold-out tournament, an afterparty for the books, Kabras RFC lifting the trophy and an electric atmosphere defined the 2026 Driftwood 7s.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsFrom the stands to the Driftwood village, Mombasa Sports Club was alive throughout the weekend as rugby fans turned up in large numbers to watch some of Kenya’s best sides battle for honours.The action on the pitch was matched by the atmosphere around it. Fans were treated to entertaining rugby, music, activations and a weekend experience that continued long after the final whistle.Amonde pinpoints reason for KCB’s Driftwood Sevens final defeat to KabrasEven rain on the opening day failed to put a dampener on the occasion.As rugby took centre stage, the village remained full of life, with supporters moving between the matches and the various activities around the venue. When the matches eventually came to an end, the celebrations continued into the night, with renowned Kenyan artistes Charisma and ..

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’ squ..