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Strathmore Leos edge Nondies by barest of margins to retain Ruff n Tuff 7s title
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Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 11.07.26. | 19:46
Nondies pushed relentlessly in the closing moments in search of a late winner, but the Leos held firm to complete a memorable comeback and successfully retain their title
Strathmore Leos successfully defended their Ruff n Tuff 7s crown after staging a spirited second-half comeback to beat hosts Nondies RFC 15-14 in a thrilling final at the Ngong Racecourse on Saturday, 11 July.
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The defending champions recovered from a nine-point halftime deficit to snatch victory in a contest that kept the hundreds of fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
Nondies made the perfect start after collecting Arnold Muita's kickoff and patiently working their way through multiple phases before captain Ronnie Omondi gained the ground for Timothy Lugalia to power over for the opening try. Fidens Tony added the conversion as the hosts raced into a 7-0 lead.
The hosts were then dealt a major blow when inspirational skipper Omondi suffered an injury and had to leave the field for treatment.
Despite losing their captain, Nondies maintained their momentum. They soon doubled their advantage when Victor Rogena crossed over for another try, with Tony once again converting to stretch the lead to 14-0.
Strathmore nearly responded immediately when their outside centre broke through the defence and sprinted towards the try line, only to be forced into touch by a desperate Nondies cover tackle.
The momentum shifted moments later after Nondies were reduced to six players following a yellow card for repeated infringements. The numerical advantage proved decisive as Collins Maina crossed over for Strathmore's opening try. The conversion drifted wide, leaving the Leos trailing 14-5 at the halftime break.
The defending champions returned from the interval with renewed intensity. Capitalising on a Nondies handling error, they added another unconverted try to cut the deficit to just four points and pile pressure on the hosts.
With the match hanging in the balance, Nondies were again reduced to six men after another yellow card. Strathmore seized the opportunity, breaking through the hosts' stubborn defence for the decisive try, handing them a slender 15-14 lead after the conversion attempt was missed.
Nondies pushed relentlessly in the closing moments in search of a late winner, but the Leos held firm to complete a memorable comeback and successfully retain their title.
Despite finishing runners-up, Nondies captain Ronnie Omondi was recognised for his outstanding tournament, claiming the Top Scorer award, while Fidens Tony was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Strathmore's triumph capped an impressive unbeaten campaign. Drawn in Pool A alongside Nondies RFC, Kenya Harlequin, and Kenyatta University Blak Blad, the Leos opened with a 17-17 draw against Nondies before defeating Kenya Harlequin 19-10 and thrashing Blak Blad 29-0 to finish top of the group.
In the semifinals, they defeated last year's finalists, Mwamba RFC, 24-12 to book a return to the championship match.
Nondies also impressed throughout the day, advancing to the final after a commanding 29-12 victory over Daystar Falcons, but ultimately fell just one point short of lifting the trophy on home soil.