University rugby has long been regarded as the lifeblood of the game's ecosystem.Every season, campuses across the country unearth the next generation of stars before they graduate to established clubs and, eventually, the national teams.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsHowever, while university sides continue to produce elite talent, turning that talent into sustained success on the National Sevens Circuit has become an increasingly difficult task.The opening two legs of the 2026 National Sevens Circuit have painted a familiar picture.At the Dala 7s in Kisumu, Daystar Falcons, Strathmore Leos and Zetech Oaks all reached the Main Cup quarterfinals, only to bow out against more established opposition.##NAJAVA_MECA_9894249##Daystar fell 29-5 to Kabras Sugar, Strathmore suffered a heartbreaking 15-14 defeat to Mwamba RFC, while Zetech Oaks were comfortably beaten 33-7 by Menengai Oilers.A week earlier at the Prinsloo 7s in Nakuru, the picture was well painted.Daystar Falcons, KU's Blak Blad and MMUST Rugby all booked places in the quarterfinals but could not take the next step.Kabras Sugar defeated Daystar 31-12, Nondescripts edged KU's Blak Blad 12-7, while Kenya Harlequins saw off MMUST 14-7.Kenya U20 coach reveals quality that sets Kabras youngster apart after Barthes Cup final heroicsAfter two tournaments, not a single university side had progressed beyond the quarterfinal stage.On the surface, the results may suggest university clubs are falling behind.Speak to the coaches, however, and a different picture emerges, one of constant rebuilding, limited resources and an unforgiving cycle that resets every few years.Rebuilding every seasonFor Strathmore Leos head coach Willis 'Foxxy' Ojal, the biggest challenge is not a lack of talent but the inability to retain it.Every successful season is followed by another rebuilding project.President Ruto leads nation in celebrating Chipu’s Barthes Trophy gloryThis season, Leos lost two key players: Nygel Amaitsa to KCB Rugby and Barnabas Owuor to Nondescripts.George Ooro, who is now at KCB, also came through the Madaraka-based system."University teams are constantly losing players at the end of every season, so getting a new group to gel and play as a cohesive unit takes time,” Foxxy started."If I use Strathmore as an example, when I took over in 2024, we played in the Bowl competition in our first two tournaments despite having Olympians in the squad. It wasn't until around the sixth tournament that the team had fully gelled, and we went on to win the Prinsloo Sevens,” he continued.That journey highlights just how much continuity matters in sevens rugby.Unlike established clubs that can retain the core of their squad for years, university teams often lose their best players immediately after graduation or even before completing their studies."From there we lost Ooro alias Japolo, but the majority of the squad remained within the system, which helped us become more consistent in 2025. This year we've lost Nygel and Barno, and replacing players of that caliber has been difficult, but the team is gradually coming together," he added.Four-year cycleDaystar Falcons head coach Caleb Bosire believes the challenge runs much deeper than replacing individual stars.According to him, university rugby is designed around a cycle that makes sustained competitiveness almost impossible."University teams are almost always in a rebuilding phase. Every year you're bringing in players straight from high school and trying to develop them to compete against players at established clubs who have been together for five or even 10 years. That difference in experience makes it difficult to build consistency,” Bosire started.The irony, Bosire says, is that universities are victims of their own success.Strathmore Leos thrown into mourning following death of playerTheir primary responsibility is to develop players, but the better those players become, the quicker they leave."It's a blessing in disguise because universities exist to develop talent. But once players establish themselves, they naturally attract interest from bigger clubs. We can't ask them to stay forever. We encourage them to complete their studies first, and after that they are free to pursue opportunities elsewhere,” he continued.That means every graduating class effectively forces coaches to start over."Essentially, every four years you're back to square one. You build a competitive team, the players graduate, and then you have to start rebuilding all over again,” he explained.For clubs such as KCB Rugby, Kabras Sugar, Menengai Oilers and Nondescripts, the equation is different.KSSSA: Youngest coach at 2026 nationals reveals how Mathare Rugby Foundation set him up for successPlayers can spend the better part of a decade together, allowing coaches to fine-tune combinations, build chemistry and create winning cultures over several seasons.University coaches rarely enjoy that luxury.More than just talentTalent has never been the problem.Every season, university competitions produce players capable of walking straight into Kenya Cup contenders and national age-grade teams.The challenge lies in transforming raw ability into elite performance within a limited window.One university coach, who requested anonymity, says many recruits arrive with little exposure to top-level rugby."One of the biggest challenges is the calibre of players coming into university. Many arrive with limited exposure to elite rugby, so coaches have to start by teaching the fundamentals before they can think about competing with established clubs,” he said.That developmental role places an even greater burden on coaching staff."Coaching capacity is another issue. Most universities have only one coach handling the entire programme, making it difficult to provide specialised training and player development,” he said.Kenya Sevens star Dennis Abukuse joins Canadian sideBy comparison, leading clubs often have larger technical teams, strength and conditioning coaches, physiotherapists and analysts, all of whom contribute to player development.Fighting with one hand tied behind backsBeyond player turnover and coaching limitations lies another reality: resources.Bosire acknowledges that universities provide important support, including transport, accommodation and meals, but says matching the financial muscle of established clubs remains difficult."Resource-wise, universities also cannot match some of the established clubs. That said, many institutions do support their teams with transport, accommodation and meals, which is important,” he explained.Time, too, is an enemy.Unlike players at community clubs whose schedules revolve around rugby and work, university players must first fulfil their academic obligations."Another challenge is the limited time available for training. Players have classes during the day, so training is mostly confined to the evenings, and you can't always train every day because of academic commitments and other constraints,” he explained.The anonymous coach added that player welfare remains another concern."Player welfare is also a challenge. Areas such as insurance and other support services are often limited compared to what established clubs can provide,” he averred.South Coast Pirates appoint English coach ahead of 2026/27 Kenya Cup campaignHe also believes accountability can be difficult to enforce because most university players are amateurs."Finally, there is very little accountability because most university players are not on salaries or regular allowances. They play primarily for the love of the game, and that can affect commitment levels when balancing rugby with academics and other responsibilities."The coach further raised concerns about officiating, arguing that university teams can sometimes feel disadvantaged against more established clubs, although such perceptions are difficult to quantify.Success measured differentlyWhile the National Sevens Circuit is judged by trophies and titles, universities often measure success differently.For them, success is seeing players graduate into Kenya Cup powerhouses, earn professional opportunities and break into national team setups.Many of today's biggest names in Kenyan rugby passed through university systems before becoming stars elsewhere.The list is endless. Brian Wahinya, Lionel Ajeliti, Michael Odhiambo, Mike Wekesa, Andy Cole Omollo, Brian MutuA, Veron Kaburu among others.That creates an uncomfortable paradox.The better universities become at producing talent, the harder it becomes to keep winning.