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Why Kabras RFC have struggled in the opening legs of National 7s Circuit
Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 19.08.25. | 16:03
The Christie outing was their lowest point yet, the defending champions failed to make the quarterfinals after two pool-stage losses
Kabras RFC have endured a turbulent start to the 2025 National Sevens Circuit. The Sugarmen opened with a third-place finish at the Driftwood 7s in Mombasa, collecting 17 points, before slipping to sixth in Nakuru with 10 points and finishing eighth at the Christie 7s with just eight points.
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The Christie outing was their lowest point yet. The defending champions failed to make the quarterfinals after pool-stage losses to Daystar Falcons (17-12) and Menengai Oilers (5-0), managing only a solitary win over Ugandan side Ruga Ruga Select.
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Speaking to Mozzart Sport, Kabras 7s coach Marlin Mukholwe outlined the challenges that have hampered their campaign.
At Driftwood, travel fatigue played a big role. The team endured an 863-kilometre road trip to Mombasa, leaving little time for recovery before their matches.
“We knew it was going to be a challenge because of the long travel to Mombasa. Recovery matters in 7s, especially when it comes to fitness,” Mukholwe said.
Kabras reached the semifinals but bowed out to eventual champions KCB.
Another major setback, according to Mukholwe, was the lack of pre-season friendlies. While Nairobi-based clubs featured in warm-up tournaments such as the Juja 7s and Ruff n Tuff 7s, Kabras had no similar build-up.
“For 7s, preparation matters, but we were not fortunate to get friendlies before the tournament. Our first major test came at Driftwood.
We had set our goals, came a bit short, but it was not that bad considering most of the players were young and new to the setup,” he added.
Hopes were high heading into the Christie 7s, with Kabras fielding a full-strength squad including Kenya internationals Brian Tanga, Jone Kubu, Derrick Ashiundu, Griffin Chao, William Mwanji, and Jackson Siketi.
Unlike in 2024, when they stunned the field with a makeshift squad of schoolboys due to national team call-ups, this year they were clear favourites. On paper, they looked unstoppable, but on the field, things fell apart.
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“We have a crop of experienced players, but the aspect of match fitness is what we are trying to build because they have been away for over a year. All is not lost; it’s a process, and we’re taking it a step at a time,” Mukholwe explained.
Several key players, including Ashiundu, Tanga, Chao, and Kubu, also represented the Kenya Simbas at the Rugby Africa Cup in July. Mukholwe admitted the tight turnaround left little time to fully reintegrate the players into the sevens setup.
“When the players from the Rugby Africa Cup came back, we took them through a return-to-play protocol, but what we haven’t achieved is proper match fitness.
We had to run a crash program to get them ready for 7s, and we didn’t have enough matches together,” he revealed.
Despite the setbacks, Mukholwe remains hopeful with three legs still to play.
“We set our targets, and so far, we are ticking some boxes. It’s not all lost. There’s always a chance to fight,” he concluded.
Kabras will next feature in the Embu 7s, where they have been drawn in Pool B alongside Strathmore Leos, Impala RFC, and newly promoted Kabete Stallions.
