St Mary's Yala, Bwake, Kisii and Vihiga make dash towards East Africa rugby Sevens title

St Mary's Yala star Abel Oyaro (right) in action against Maseno.[Sammy Omingo,Standard]

As the East Africa Secondary School Games kick off next week in Mbale, Uganda, the spotlight in rugby Sevens will be on four Kenyan schools.

Saint Mary’s School Yala, Vihiga High School, and Kisii School, Friends School Bwake—will be vying for the vacant crown left by defending champions Koyonzo Secondary School.

Champions Koyonzo were unexpectedly knocked out in the quarterfinals during the national games held last week in Kisii, leaving the title up for grabs.

St. Mary’s School Yala from Siaya County will be one of the key contenders. After making their East Africa debut last year in Huye, Rwanda, where they finished fifth overall, Yala have shown consistent performance, securing a bronze medal at the nationals for the second year running.

However, this year, the team is aiming higher, targeting a podium finish, if not clinching the top spot in East Africa.

Yala’s head coach, George Kerima, is optimistic about his team’s chances in Mbale.

Reflecting on their narrow 10-7 defeat to national champions Bwake in the semifinals—a match where they were a man down—Kerima believes that Yala has the quality and resilience to challenge for the title.

“We’ve been working on our discipline and tactical execution. That close call against Bwake has given us a lot of confidence. We know we can perform better, and we’re focused on taking it game by game,” Kerima said.

He added that his team's experience and lessons learned from last year’s campaign in Rwanda will be crucial as they face tough opponents from Uganda and Rwanda.

Vihiga High School and Friends School Bwake will also be strong contenders in the tournament. Bwake, having already proven their mettle by winning the national title, will be keen to establish their dominance on the regional stage.

On the other hand, Vihiga, a team known for its physicality and speed, will be looking to make a statement in their matches.

The competition in Mbale will be fierce, with Yala, Vihiga, and Bwake set to face off against formidable teams in the round-robin format.

The Ugandan teams, including Kira College Butiki, Jinja Secondary School, Dr. Obote College, and St. Lawrence London College, are known for their robust rugby culture and will pose significant challenges. Gitsi Ruhambo from Rwanda is also expected to be a tough competitor.

In the girls’ rugby Sevens, the Kenyan contingent includes national champions St. Joseph Girls Kitale, first-timers Nyagichenche from Kisii, St. Theresa, and Kinale Girls.

St. Joseph Girls Kitale will be the team to watch, as they bring their national championship experience into the East Africa arena.

The girls’ competition also follows a round-robin format, with Kenyan teams facing off against Jinja Secondary School and Nkoma Secondary School from Uganda.

In rugby 15s, national champions All Saints Embu are poised to dethrone defending champions Saint Mary’s College Kisubi, of Uganda.

Placed in Group A, All Saints Embu will battle Kisubi, Lenana School from Kenya, and Namilyango College from Uganda.

Group B promises to be just as competitive, with last year’s silver medallists Butula Boys from Kenya facing Kitondo School, Makerere College, and Kings College Budo, all from Uganda.