Strathmore Leos captain Gabriel Ayimba in a past action/HANDOUT
Strathmore Leos captain Gabriel Ayimba believes his side has what it takes to bounce back from a disappointing Driftwood Sevens campaign and retain the Embu Sevens title this weekend.
The Leos are chasing a fifth consecutive crown in Embu, where they have dominated the National Sevens Circuit in recent years. Strathmore’s title defence comes after a poor outing in Mombasa, where they finished 14th with just two points.
Ayimba, however, believes the team has learnt from its mistakes and is ready to respond. “We have had setbacks in the Driftwood Series, and we are putting in the work. We are hoping for a comeback. Our performance in Mombasa was not good. We will work on our mistakes and come back stronger,” said Ayimba.
Strathmore have won the last four editions of the Embu Sevens, beating Menengai Oilers 19-12 in 2022 and 26-0 in 2023. They defeated Catholic Monks 19-5 in 2024 before overcoming KCB 31-21 last year. Ayimba is confident they can maintain their impressive record at the venue.
“Embu has always been ours to win. We have dominated in recent years, and this year we are also going for the title. We want to win that,” he said.
The Leos are currently eighth in the overall standings with 41 points, 35 behind leaders KCB, who have 76 points. Kabras Sugar are second on 73 points. Strathmore have been drawn in Pool C alongside Kabras Sugar, Nondescripts RFC and Nakuru RFC.
Pool A features KCB, Mombasa RFC, KU Blak Blad and Kisumu RFC, while Pool B has Menengai Oilers, NYS Spades, Kenya Harlequin and hosts Embu RFC. Pool D comprises Daystar Falcons, Mwamba RFC, MMUST and Zetech Oaks. KCB have won the Prinsloo and Kabeberi legs, while Kabras claimed the Dala and Driftwood titles.
KCB beat Kabras 19-12 in Prinsloo and Strathmore 14-12 in Kabeberi, while Kabras defeated Oilers 17-5 in Dala before beating KCB 15-5 in the Driftwood final. With two legs remaining, Ayimba believes Strathmore can still salvage their season and challenge for a podium finish. “The national series is not good, but if we win the next two events, we will be able to compete for a podium finish,” he said.
Meanwhile, Embu RFC Tournament Director Wilkister Miranga said preparations are complete, and Embu Stadium is ready to welcome teams and fans.
“We are all set for Embu Sevens and looking forward to hosting another exciting leg of the National Sevens Circuit. The tournament comes at a very important stage of the season, with the competition at the top very close, so we expect highly competitive matches,” she said.
Miranga also welcomed Tusker’s support, saying the partnership would boost tournament logistics and enhance the fan experience, with the Tusker Village and entertainment programme providing an added attraction for spectators.
