The roar that rolled across the ASK Njukiri Showground on Sunday evening carried a message that will echo through the final stretch of Kenya’s sevens season. The 2025 Embu 7s Rugby Tournament crowned Strathmore Leos after a 31-21 win over KCB Rugby, a result that tightened the National Sevens Circuit race and delivered the kind of drama only sevens can serve.
For weeks, the circuit had been defined by KCB’s relentless standard, winners at Driftwood and Christie Sevens and finalists at every stop. Strathmore, champions at the Prinsloo Sevens, arrived in Embu with the confidence of a side that understands big moments, and with two rounds left on the calendar, the balance of power now feels tantalizingly uncertain in the National Sevens Circuit.
Embu’s debut as an official leg brought a fresh energy. The county welcomed the country’s elite for the fourth stop of the campaign, marking a milestone for Embu RFC after successfully bidding to host the 2025 and 2026 editions. The Leos had history here, they defended a title they had already made their own in 2024 when Embu was off the KRU calendar, and this time they did it under the brightest lights, at the ASK Njukiri Showground.
Day one set a furious rhythm. KCB were imperious in Pool A, Menengai Oilers cruised in Pool C, and in Pool D the students of MMUST turned heads with a perfect run. Kabras, stung early, found their bite later, and by sunset on Saturday the knockout bracket promised heavyweight collisions featuring KCB Rugby, Strathmore Leos, Oilers, and a fearless MMUST.
Pool A belonged to KCB. They rolled past Mwamba 29-14, blanked hosts Embu 24-0 as Austin Sikutwa bagged a brace with Brian Wahinya on the boot, then shut out Daystar Falcons 33-0 with Vincent Onyala and George Ooro among the scorers. Daystar denied Mwamba a last-eight place with a 17-14 win, while Mwamba had earlier edged Embu 17-10. It was a statement of control from the Bankers, the kind of Saturday that sets the tone for a Sunday push from a table-topping giant.
Pool B crackled with drama. Kabete Stallions, back in Division One, announced themselves with a 19-19 draw against Impala, Sylvester Okach grabbing a hat-trick in a fearless display. Strathmore then shaded Kabras Sugar 15-14 with decisive touches from Gabriel Ayimba, Nygel Amaitsa and Arnold Mwita, before Kabras reset their compass to outclass Impala 36-12 and overwhelm Stallions 26-0. The Leos handled their business with a 19-5 win over Stallions to seal top spot, keeping their title defense on track.
In Pool C, Oilers looked assured. They opened with a 21-12 win over Nakuru, then shut out Nondescripts 24-0 and routed Mean Machine 31-0. Nakuru recovered to edge Nondies 17-12 and thump Machine 41-7. University of Nairobi’s Mean Machine, making their first Division One bow this season, tasted the pace and precision of the top flight in a group controlled by the Menengai Oilers.
Pool D became MMUST’s stage. They stunned Kenya Harlequin 26-15, pipped Catholic Monks 17-14, then defeated Zetech Oaks 17-7 as Veron Kaburu struck twice. Zetech had their moment too, edging Monks 12-10, before Quins kept their run alive by beating Monks 17-12 to squeeze through. The headline, however, was MMUST, a team that combined hustle and calm, setting up a Sunday that would turn historic.
Key quarterfinal results that lit the fuse
- KCB 21 Kabras 5,
- MMUST 21 Nakuru 19,
- Strathmore Leos 29 Daystar Falcons 5,
- Menengai Oilers 19 Kenya Harlequins 14.
MMUST’s quarterfinal against Nakuru will live long in their memory. They trailed after an early strike from Chrissant Ojwang, had a potential equalizer chalked off, and were forced to weather a sin-bin. They steadied, then surged, with Clarence Onyango and Bevon Okoth finding the whitewash as Kaburu added crucial conversions. Nakuru rallied through the Okoth brothers, but a late Wanyore penalty drifted wide, sending the tie to extra time where MMUST held their nerve for a gripping 21-19 victory and a maiden semifinal.
KCB’s last-eight against Kabras was a tactical showcase. Floyd Wabwire engineered the opening, setting up Samuel Asati before scoring himself, with Wahinya clinical off the tee for a 14-0 halftime lead. Kabras replied through Brian Mutua, but handling errors proved costly, and Wabwire punished another loose moment to close it out. Even after a late yellow left them with six men, the Bankers’ defensive shape held firm, a reminder of their championship steel.
Strathmore brought ruthless efficiency to their 29-5 win over Daystar Falcons. Victor Mola struck twice, Arnold Mwita and Elton Amalemba crossed, and while Falcons grabbed a late consolation, the Leos’ pace and accuracy were the difference. It was the kind of quarterfinal that underlines depth and trust, elements that would become decisive later in a tense final.
The Oilers edged a lively Kenya Harlequin 19-14. Quins landed the first blow through Ramadhan Masete, but Oilers leaned on Brian Achacha and Daniel Kipchirchir to flip the halftime score, then stretched the lead through Alvin Khavoli with Philip Okeyo adding the extras. Leon Nyang’s late try for Quins kept the contest on edge, yet Oilers were composed, guarding their five-point cushion to reach the last four with control.
Semifinal clinical displays
KCB overpowered MMUST 31-7 to return to a familiar stage. Festus Shiasi opened the account, Vincent Onyala followed, and Kilwake muscled over from a lineout. After the break, Emmanuel Opondo dotted down, Kilwake grabbed his brace, and Wahinya kept the scoreboard ticking. MMUST found a late consolation, but the Bankers looked every bit the team that has led the standings with consistency.
Strathmore answered in kind, brushing aside Menengai Oilers 24-7. Ken Mwita struck first, Barnabas Owuor produced a brilliant solo effort, and after the interval the Leos camped in the Oilers 22. Victor Mola finished a flowing move and another score in the corner made the gap insurmountable. Oilers finally broke free through Achacha, a consolation on a day when Strathmore’s shape and tempo were simply superior.
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Final that lived up to the billing
Two heavyweights, a recent rivalry rekindled, and a title race on the line, the ingredients were irresistible. Their last meeting in a final at Prinsloo tilted to Strathmore during a rain-hit finish, and with KCB the form side of the season, Embu offered a platform to settle the debate, at least for the weekend, in front of the Embu faithful.
Strathmore struck instantly as Nygel Amaitsa burst from the kickoff to score. Moments later, Victor Mola extended the lead after a sharp buildup engineered by Stanslus Shikoli, and soon Gabriel Ayimba joined the scoresheet as the Leos raced clear. Arnold Mwita converted to keep the scoreboard moving, and despite a KCB response from Floyd Wabwire on the stroke of halftime, the students walked in with a commanding 24-7 advantage.
The second half spun on a moment of jeopardy for Strathmore, Ayimba’s yellow card. KCB pounced, Wabwire slicing the defense twice in quick succession and Wahinya adding both conversions to close the gap to 24-21. Under pressure, the Leos showed calm, absorbing the wave, then finding the final punch with a try in the corner to seal a 31-21 triumph and a successful title defense.
The wider picture and the feel of Embu
There was a personal touch to the trophy lift for Strathmore. Head coach Willis Ojal, who marked his birthday on finals day, received the perfect gift from a group that has now conquered Embu four times on the bounce. It was a nod to continuity and craft, the kind of performance that marries youthful exuberance with hardened match sense.
Behind the main stage, Sunday also delivered clarity across the placements. Menengai Oilers secured third place with a 31-0 blitz of MMUST. Kenya Harlequin took fifth after a 15-5 win over Kabras. Catholic Monks claimed ninth by overcoming Mean Machine 15-5, and Impala captured 13th with a 19-5 victory over Nondescripts. In Division Two, Homeboyz edged NYS Spades 7-0 and booked a jump to Division One for Kabeberi Sevens, a reward for resilience.
By Monday morning, the standings told a tight story. KCB remain top on 66 points, Strathmore have closed the gap to 63, and the title will be decided over Kabeberi and Dala. For the neutral, it is everything you want from a series, a leader tested by a rival that refuses to blink, and a supporting cast capable of springing shocks, as MMUST did with their first ever semifinal.
Tactical threads that defined Embu
Strathmore’s fast starts are no accident. Their kick receipt and chase pressure forced mistakes, their first-phase shapes created immediate width, and their decision making in the red zone was clinical. Even when reduced to six men, the Leos trusted their spacing and discipline, then seized their moment when it came, a hallmark of a side that understands the rhythms of high-stakes sevens.
KCB’s weekend reinforced both their ceiling and their to-do list. At their best they are ruthless, as seen in pool play and a commanding semifinal, but in the final restarts became a pressure point. Fixing that detail will be central before Kabeberi. The Bankers still control their destiny, they are leading the table, and their response to the Embu setback will shape a run-in defined by fine margins.
MMUST’s rise was built on grit and belief. They beat Quins, edged Monks, managed Zetech, then stared down Nakuru over extra time. Their tournament offered a blueprint for university sides, trust the basics, kick your goals, defend the middle of the park, and when the chance comes, take it. That they left with fourth after Oilers surged in the playoff does not dull the shine of a historic weekend.
For Kabras Sugar, Embu was a mixed ledger. A narrow pool loss to Strathmore, power wins to reach the quarters, then a quarterfinal defeat to KCB and a fifth-place final loss to Quins. The pieces are there, the physicality still intimidates, and the next step is converting pressure into accuracy against the very best, particularly when the tournament tempo rises in the knockouts.
Embu milestone and the spirit of sevens
Beyond the scoreboard, the embrace of Embu matters. The move east from previous hosts expands the map of the sport, puts the game in front of new fans, and rewards a county that has invested in rugby’s growth. The tournament’s organization, the energy in the stands, and the pride of a community that has watched the event evolve from an invitational to a circuit stop, all fed into an atmosphere that players and coaches will remember with fervor.
As the sun set on the ASK Njukiri Showground, the final whistle marked more than a trophy won. It marked the turning of a title race, the maturation of a contender, and the steady rise of new stories that give Kenyan sevens its heartbeat. Next stop, Kabeberi, where every restart, every tackle, and every decision will weigh just a little heavier. The Leos have thrown down a challenge, the Bankers will answer, and Embu has reminded us why we follow this game with such relentless passion.
Results snapshot
- Main Cup final Strathmore Leos 31 KCB Rugby 21,
- Third place Menengai Oilers 31 MMUST 0,
- Fifth place Kenya Harlequin 15 Kabras Sugar 5,
- Ninth place Catholic Monks 15 Mean Machine 5.
Additional highlights included Impala’s 19-5 win over Nondescripts for 13th and Homeboyz edging NYS Spades 7-0 to top Division Two and step up to Division One for the Kabeberi Sevens.
