Gibson Weru believes Menengai Oilers winning Floodies will open silverware floodgates

Menengai Oilers head coach Gibson Weru is confident that his team’s victory at the 2024 Impala Floodlights Tournament will be a catalyst for further success in rugby.

After clinching their first-ever Floodies title on Saturday, November 2, with a resounding 42-3 win over hosts Impala RFC, Weru believes that the team has crossed a major milestone that will inspire future triumphs.

This win is especially meaningful for the Oilers, who have only two Varsity titles in their history and narrowly missed the club title in 2019, suffering a close defeat to KCB Rugby. This year, they were determined to break through that barrier, and their efforts finally paid off.

Reflecting on the journey, Weru lauded his players’ zeal so far. "I am very excited. It has been a long time coming. The journey started in 2016, and finally, we have our first major 15s trophy. I hope and believe this is the start of many things to come. The spirit among the boys has been amazing, and I am just happy that the hard work is finally paying off," he said.

Beyond just the victory, the match showcased the grit and resilience of the Oilers, who played one man down for over 60 minutes. Weru praised his team’s toughness, highlighting how this resilience can set them up for even greater achievements in the upcoming season.

“This tournament gauged how we prepared, and our preparations have been getting better over the years. Finally, we have a platform as we start the Kenya Cup season. We still have a lot to work on and improvements to be made, but this win is a strong foundation," he offered.

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The win has energized the team for the season ahead, which Weru hopes will continue with a strong showing in the 15s circuit. “We can only use this as a springboard for the upcoming 15s season. We’re excited and motivated to start the season well,” Weru noted.

As the Oilers look ahead to their next challenges, Weru emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement. His philosophy, inspired by the Japanese concept of “Kaizen” (meaning “a step at a time”), will guide the team as they prepare to face Kabras RFC and other competitors.

"Our immediate target is to improve and keep making steps forward. Kaizen, a step at a time. We know our opponents, like Kabras RFC, present a different kind of mental game, but we’ll figure out how to compete against them this season," he explained.

Drawing on his own experience as a former player, Weru believes that winning the first major title can ignite a new era for his players.

“As a player, I played for a team where we struggled, but once we won our first silverware, it did magic. Winning gives you a lot of motivation and confidence going into games,” he concluded.

The Oilers will start their 2024/25 Kenya Cup campaign with a match against Kisumu RFC on Saturday, November 23, at the Nakuru Athletic Club.

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