KCB Rugby Club has shifted its attention to the Kabeberi 7s after finishing fifth at the Dala 7s held at the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Mamboleo, Kisumu, over the weekend.
The bankers secured fifth place after beating varsity side Strathmore Leos 24-17 in the fifth-place final, bouncing back strongly after their Main Cup campaign was cut short in the quarter-finals.
KCB had earlier cruised past Daystar Falcons 38-7 in the semi-final of the fifth-place bracket before completing their campaign with victory over the Leos.
The result capped a mixed weekend for the bankers, who had entered the tournament among the favorites after winning the opening leg of the national sevens circuit, the Prinsloo 7s.
KCB's Main Cup hopes, however, suffered a setback in the quarter-finals when they narrowly lost 14-12 to Kenya Harlequin (Quins), ending their quest for back-to-back tournament victories.
Head coach Andrew Amonde said the team would take valuable lessons from the Kisumu outing as they prepare for the next assignment.
“We did not get the result we wanted in the Main Cup, but there are positives that we can take from the tournament. The players showed character to come back and finish strongly, and that is important as we continue building towards the next leg. We now have to look at the areas where we fell short, sharpen them in training and come back stronger in Kabeberi.”
KCB player Samuel Asati said the narrow defeat to Quins was a reminder of the fine margins that can determine the outcome of matches at the top level.
“The loss to Quins was disappointing because we knew we had the quality to go further, but these are the moments that help us grow as a team. We have to take responsibility, learn from the mistakes we made and use the experience to improve. Finishing fifth is not where we wanted to be, but we will take the positives and focus on the next challenge.”
The bankers will now turn their attention to the Kabeberi 7s, scheduled for August 15 and 16 in Nairobi, where they will be looking to mount a stronger challenge and reclaim their place among the leading contenders for the national sevens circuit title.
KCB's campaign in Kisumu came after an impressive start to the season at the Prinsloo 7s in Nakuru, where the bankers were crowned champions after defeating Kabras Sugar 19-12 in the final.
