Well oiled Menengai rumbles the rugby scene
Second-tier side Menengai Oilers are causing ripples across Kenya’s rugby scene following their barnstorming run in the National Sevens Circuit.
The side Oilers dislodged series champions Menengai Cream Homeboyz from the top of the series standings.
Despite the Oilers losing to Impala Saracens in the just concluded Kabeberi leg, they top the circuit standings after two legs, where after accumulating a series-high 36 points, six ahead of second-placed Menengai Cream Homeboyz.
Oilers also accumulated 17 points from Driftwood 7’s, followed by 19 points from Kabeberi circuit.
The series now head to their Nakuru home turf for the Prinsloo 7’s this weekend.
This will be an attractive destination if not a breathtaking scenery for their fans but the idea and prospect of watching their players rumble could be an overwhelming experience.
Despite holding the top position, Gibson Weru, the Oilers head coach, has warned his charges against complacency.
In an interview with Citizen Digital, Weru said, “We have remained consistence in the first leg and we hope the momentum is upheld”.
Weru said that his team’s good run is prove enough that even the second tier sides could hold their own against the top division sides.
Key in Oilers good run of form is the burly skipper Harold Anduvate who was voted the Most Valuable Player for the Kabeberi 7’s and doubled it up with the top scorer award.
Samuel “Smurf” Guregi and Eric Ombasa have also been instrumental in the team’s exceptional display.
In a separate interview, Anduvate said: “Some of our players are homegrown. They have risen from ball boys to become key players in the squad and this shows that the club has a vibrant production line.”
However, contrary to the remarkable story of Oilers, there are other teams which earned promotion from the second division but have found the going tough in the top-tier.
For instance, Kisumu RFC have already been relegated to the second tier after just one season in the top flight, joining Thika RFC as the two teams which have fell to the axe.
PRINSLOO POOLS:
Pool A
Impala Saracens, Nondies, Nakuru , Black Blad
Pool B
Oilers, Harlequins,Mwamba RFC, Western Bulls
Pool C
Strathmore University, Homebyz, Mean- machine, Mombasa RFC
Pool D
Kabras Sugar, KCB, Catholic University, MKU Thika
-Report by Edwin Mbare
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