Safari Sevens Thrills: Morans and Lionesses Ignite Tournament with Strong Start!

The Safari Sevens tournament kicked off on Friday at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, delivering a day filled with intense rugby action across both men's and women's competitions. Kenyan teams experienced a mix of triumphs and challenges, with the senior women's and second-string men's sides securing impressive victories, while the defending men's champions faced an unexpected draw.

In the women's competition, the Kenya Lionesses began their Safari Sevens campaign on a winning note, overcoming the Junior Lionesses 19-5 in an all-Kenyan clash. Stella Wafula opened the scoring for the senior side, with Rose Okwemba leveling for the Junior Lionesses. Freshia Oduor then restored the senior side’s advantage before halftime, and Moreen Muritu sealed the 19-5 victory in the second half. This win gave the senior team a positive start, as the Junior Lionesses continued their preparations for the Junior Olympics. However, Kenya’s second-string women’s side, the Shibli, suffered a painful 17-15 defeat to Tunisia in their opening fixture. Maxine Abuga scored early for Shibli, but Tunisia responded with two tries to lead 10-5 at halftime. Edit Nariaka and Beatrice Osimbo combined to level the scores, and Irene Opiyo put Shibli ahead. Yet, Tunisia snatched victory with a last-minute converted try under the posts. Elsewhere, the Uganda Lady Cranes also started their campaign with a win, joining Tunisia and the Lionesses among the early victors.

On the men's side, the Kenya Morans, the nation’s second national men’s team, got their Safari Sevens campaign off to an impressive start with a convincing 40-17 victory over Gel Sevens. Debutants played a key role in the big win, with Mike Lukusi opening the scoring and setting up Dennis Ndayala Livoi for a try, before scoring a second himself. Lukusi's early efforts gave the Morans a 17-0 lead. While Gel Sevens fought back with two quick tries, Livoi completed his brace, and debutants Lucky Onyango and Brighton Omondi also crossed the line, extending the lead to 40-12. Gel’s Marco Jones scored his second try late in the match, but it was not enough to prevent a dominant Morans win.

Defending champions Shujaa, however, were forced to settle for a dramatic 21-21 draw against SportPesa Fast Forward, bringing an end to their remarkable 23-match winning streak at the Safari Sevens. This result marked the first time Shujaa failed to win a match at the tournament since 2021 and the first draw under head coach Kevin Wambua. Fast Forward stunned the champions with two early tries to take a 14-0 lead. George Ooro helped Shujaa get back into the contest, setting up Nygel Amaitsa for a converted try before halftime. Fast Forward extended their advantage to 21-7 after the break, but Shujaa mounted a comeback, with substitute Glacious Owino reducing the deficit and Elvis Olukusi powering over late to level the scores at 21-21. Shujaa had a late opportunity to snatch victory but failed to convert, ending the match in a draw that served as a warning to the champions.

In other men's fixtures, the invitational side Shogun delivered a commanding performance against the Patrice Agunda-coached Southern California Nomads, winning 38-0. Kaleem Barreto starred in the first half with a brilliant hat-trick, contributing significantly to Shogun's dominance. In the second half, Van Reenen Kruger, Leachim Adams, and Mac Walsh all crossed the try line to complete the blowout victory. Earlier in the day, the French Renegades showcased a disciplined performance to defeat Wellington Jaguars 22-14, securing three points in their opening match.