From the first whistle at the RFUEA Grounds to the final roar beneath the Nairobi sky, the Kabeberi 7s delivered a weekend of grit, flair, and breakthrough stories. KCB Rugby lifted the cup again, a fourth consecutive triumph that stamped their authority on the National Sevens Circuit, while Daystar Falcons soared into a maiden final and Mombasa RFC wrote history with a first ever place in the main cup quarterfinals.
A city tournament with history, hunger and a full house
Hosted by Mwamba Rugby, the 2025 showpiece brought back the familiar hum of the circuit after a two week pause. Thirty six teams took the field, with 16 in Division One and 20 in Division Two, a spread that ensured constant action across two sun splashed days at the RFUEA Grounds.
The pools promised tension from the start. Defending champions KCB Rugby anchored Pool A, joined by Nakuru RFC, Mean Machine, and invited returnees Mombasa RFC. Under new leadership with legend Andrew Amonde stepping in after the temporary suspension of Dennis Mwanja, the Bankers arrived with a loaded group that included Vincent Onyala, Floyd Wabwire, Emmanuel Opondo, Bob Muhati, Festus Shiasi, and Elvis Olukusi. The chase was clear, a fourth straight Kabeberi crown for KCB Rugby.
Pool B brimmed with narrative as Strathmore Leos, fresh from the Embu 7s title and the model of consistency this season, drew Kenya Harlequin, hosts Mwamba RFC, and invited Impala RFC. The Leos had won two of four legs and reached every semifinal to this point, and they came in second on the overall log with 80 points, just two behind KCB.
Pool C, tagged the group of death, gathered MMUST Rugby, Daystar Falcons, Catholic Monks, and newly promoted Homeboyz RFC. Pool D lined up Menengai Oilers, Kabras Sugar, Embu RFC, and Kisumu RFC, a segment bubbling with promise for contenders and ambition for invitees.
Day one drama and a coastal milestone
The opening day belonged to both the giants and the dreamers. Mombasa Sports Club RFC, the coastal side often asked to punch above their weight, did more than that by securing a first ever main cup quarterfinal. They edged Nakuru 15-14, were blanked by KCB 31-0, then held their nerve in a 10-10 draw with Mean Machine, advancing on superior head to head. It was a stirring passage for Mombasa RFC.
Defending champions KCB looked exactly that, imperious and organized. They swept their pool with a 54-0 demolition of Mean Machine, a 31-0 shutout of Mombasa, and a testing 21-15 finish over Nakuru. Speaking after the clean first day, head coach Andrew Amonde praised composure and clarity.
On the first day, we won all the pool matches. The boys have always been working hard, and they stuck to the goals set. The next challenge is tomorrow, and ours is to take a game at a time.
For Nakuru RFC, it was a case of what might have been. A 12-0 win over Mean Machine restored poise, then they pushed KCB to the edge before falling 21-15. Head coach Oscar Ouma did not hide his frustration with the slow start.
Our performance has not been the best. Game one was shaky, we came in the second game and then played well in the third game. In rugby, you have to be consistent. If we played like we did against KCB from the start, we could be in a better position.
Pool B momentum and Mwamba recovery
Strathmore Leos looked every bit the circuit powerhouse. They beat Mwamba 25-7, blew past Impala 31-0, then overturned a 14-5 deficit to defeat Kenya Harlequin 27-14. The late surge for top spot underscored their relentless edge and the influence of finishers like Shem Okola, Samuel Wafula, and Victor Mola. Hosts Mwamba, stung early, responded with a 17-0 win over Harlequin and a gritty 7-5 edging of Impala to make the last eight, a timely spark for Mwamba RFC.
The group of death lives up to its name
Daystar Falcons were quietly devastating in Pool C. They defeated Homeboyz 15-7, handled Catholic Monks 24-12, and capped with a 25-12 win over MMUST to top the pool with three from three. Catholic Monks rebounded from their loss to the Falcons with a 26-7 victory over MMUST and a polished 29-10 decision against Homeboyz, enough to return to the quarterfinal stage. It felt like the bracket everyone wanted to watch, and it was led by the decisiveness of Daystar Falcons.
Kabras set the tone, Oilers absorb a lesson
Pool D was a statement of purpose from Kabras Sugar. They beat Kisumu 61-0 and Embu 43-0, then closed the day with a commanding 28-0 display against Menengai Oilers to top the pool unbeaten and, until the knockout stages, unbreached. Oilers had earlier dispatched Embu 45-0 and Kisumu 52-0, form that secured second place and a showdown with Daystar in the quarters.
Oilers coach Lawi Buyachi kept perspective on the Kabras setback and the wider challenge that knockout rugby demands.
Good wins so far, we were raring to go. Our approach remains the same, one game at a time. The boys were confident heading into the match against Kabras because they defeated them at the Christie 7s pool match. There is too much quality, and we cannot simply arrive at the party without preparation. If you snooze, you lose.
Kabras head coach Carlos Kyatwa pointed to a return to focus and patience after recent disappointments, a theme that would carry them deep into Sunday. It felt like the Sugarmen had their edge back, and their defensive clarity powered that belief for Kabras Sugar.
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Quarterfinals shape a compelling final four
The main cup quarters yielded a balanced mix of inevitability and shock. KCB were clinical in a 35-7 win over Mwamba. Strathmore Leos turned ruthless against Mombasa with a 38-0 victory. Kabras overcame Catholic Monks 20-5. Then came the moment of the morning, Daystar Falcons stunned Menengai Oilers 24-19 to reach a first ever semifinal in the top flight. It was the clearest sign yet that the students had belief beyond novelty.
The stage was set for Kabras versus KCB in one semifinal and Strathmore Leos versus Daystar Falcons in the other. One bracket carried years of rivalry and recent pain. The other paired a league heavyweight with a university side in full discovery mode, a match that would hinge on tempo and nerve for Strathmore Leos.
Semifinal fireworks lift the RFUEA
KCB and Kabras produced the expected thunder. Scrum half Samuel Asati struck first for KCB, Kabras hit back through Kevin Wekesa, and the sides traded blows into halftime with Bob Muhati and Rayvone Ambale involved for the Bankers. After the interval, field position turned into a crucial third KCB try and, despite a late score by Mathias Osimbo, the Bankers advanced 21-17. The defending champions had withstood the biggest punch of the weekend to secure another final.
The other semifinal delivered pure drama. Daystar Falcons took an early lead through Kenya Sevens speedster Patrick Odongo. Strathmore answered via Victor Mola, only for Clinton Amukwachi to restore the Falcons advantage. Mola crossed again late, but a missed conversion kept it 12-10 and the students held on. Their head coach, Caleb Bosire, lauded composure and pressure management.
The game was tough. As you know, getting to the final is not easy. Coming into the game, we targeted to win all the pool matches. When we got to the semifinals, we had nothing to lose. But the boys managed the pressure, forced Strathmore to make errors, and when they got chances to score, they did not misuse them. I am impressed by their performance.
Strathmore playmaker Nygel Amaitsa was direct in his assessment of the turning points, noting that errors proved costly and highlighting the impact of Odongo. It was a hard lesson on semifinal margins for Daystar Falcons.
The final belongs to KCB, the moment belongs to a four-peat
The decider was a lesson in fast starts and championship poise. KCB seized control immediately, using a scrum in Falcons territory to send the ball wide for Elvis Olukusi to finish. Moments later, Samuel Asati grounded the second before linking with Bob Muhati to create space for Vincent Onyala to add a third. On halftime, Olukusi snatched a loose ball and raced clear for a 20-0 lead.
Daystar refused to wilt. Odongo used his pace to glide past Floyd Wabwire to get the Falcons on the board, and the students struck again late, but KCB had already done the damage. The cup stayed on Thika Road, a fourth straight Kabeberi triumph and a sixth title overall for the Bankers, following wins in 2008, 2014, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. It was the definition of a four-peat.
What it means for the National Sevens Circuit
KCB had arrived as series leaders with Strathmore close behind, the Leos on 80 points and just two adrift before the weekend. By defending Kabeberi and reaching yet another final, the Bankers tightened their grip on the race to reclaim the National Sevens Circuit crown last won in 2023. Strathmore’s semifinal exit kept them in the chase, but the margin for error is thinner now at the business end of the season for KCB Rugby.
For Daystar, the Kabeberi run is a landmark. A perfect pool phase, a statement quarterfinal win over Oilers, a takedown of Strathmore, then a spirited final against KCB, this is the blueprint of a program taking big steps. That momentum now becomes the most valuable currency for a young side with belief.
Across the grounds, silverware and stories
Kabras closed strong by beating Strathmore Leos 24-12 in the third place playoff, their best recent Kabeberi finish and a tonic after the semifinal near miss. Menengai Oilers showed character to win the fifth place final 17-12 against Catholic Monks, an important response after the quarterfinal upset.
The women’s field produced a crowd pleasing finale, Mwamba RFC lifting the Stephanie Memorial Trophy after a 17-12 win over Impala RFC. In Division Two, Nondies edged Zetech Oaks 24-21 in a tight decider, a reminder of the depth and ambition pulsing through the lower tier for Nondies RFC.
Elsewhere in placement, Nakuru claimed the 13th place final 27-5 against Embu, and Impala blitzed Homeboyz 29-0 to take the Challenge Trophy. These matches matter to the energy of a circuit weekend, they set standards and seed confidence for the next stops on the tour.
Key results at a glance
- KCB Rugby 20-10 Daystar Falcons in the cup final,
- KCB Rugby 21-17 Kabras RFC in the cup semifinal,
- Daystar Falcons 12-10 Strathmore Leos in the cup semifinal,
- Kabras RFC 24-12 Strathmore Leos in the third place playoff.
- KCB Rugby 35-7 Mwamba RFC in the quarterfinals,
- Strathmore Leos 38-0 Mombasa RFC in the quarterfinals,
- Daystar Falcons 24-19 Menengai Oilers in the quarterfinals,
- Kabras RFC 20-5 Catholic Monks in the quarterfinals.
- Pool highlights, KCB 54-0 Mean Machine,
- Mombasa RFC 15-14 Nakuru then 10-10 Mean Machine to advance,
- Strathmore Leos 25-7 Mwamba and 31-0 Impala,
- Kabras Sugar 28-0 Menengai Oilers to top Pool D.
The stories that linger
Mombasa’s breakthrough was the heart of day one, a team that has known lean days grinding to a result that will echo back on the drive to the coast. Their 15-14 win over Nakuru and the nerve in a 10-10 draw with Mean Machine, that was the face of a club turning a corner. It was also a reminder that invitations to Division One can be seized, then turned into milestones, and that the RFUEA can feel like a second home when a support base leans in for Mombasa RFC.
Daystar’s rise was the story of day two, youth and audacity colliding with structure and resolve. From Patrick Odongo’s line breaks to the precision of their support play, they forced errors and pounced on them. Coach Caleb Bosire’s emphasis on pressure management and execution rang true, and the players matched talk with deliveries that will live in campus lore.
And then there is KCB, whose standards remain the gold line. Amonde’s message on discipline, small margins, and taking one game at a time translated into moments that define champions, a scrum platform used well, clean exits, two minute windows turned into seven point swings. The names change from year to year, but the tone feels familiar, this is a club that knows how to peak on a Sunday for Kabeberi 7s.
Full time in Nairobi, the circuit marches on
By the end, it felt like a weekend that clarified the hierarchy while widening the circle of hope. KCB hold the cup and the lead, Strathmore remain a force that must tidy the moments that tip matches, Kabras regained bite and finished with a flourish, Oilers are still in the fight and wiser for the sting, Daystar graduated into the glare, and Mombasa found a new ceiling. The next stop will test how well each of them can bottle what worked and fix what did not.
For now, the images endure, Olukusi racing clear on halftime, Odongo gliding to spark a comeback, Osimbo muscling through traffic, Mwamba’s women celebrating on the touchline, and the RFUEA crowd echoing back a weekend worthy of the Kabeberi name. History was made, and the road ahead looks even more compelling for the National Sevens Circuit.
