Kenya Harlequin on how they almost bottled the circuit title
Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 18.09.24. | 16:30
Mozzart Sport chatted with the team’s fullback Leeon Nyang who explained that the emotional intensity at that moment was unlike anything they had experienced.
When the final whistle blew and Kenya Harlequin lost 15-12 to their rivals Nondescript, it felt like all hope was lost.
They needed to win the Prinsloo 7s quarterfinal match to guarantee them an overall 2024 National Sevens Circuit crown.
They only needed to reach the semi-finals to automatically secure the title, regardless of how other teams performed. A semi-final finish would give them at least 112 points, which would be enough to win the circuit.
The scene after the match was one of heartbreak as players knelt on the pitch in disbelief, while others lay down, overcome with despair. Some players even shed tears. That defeat threatened to derail their long-awaited title dreams.
Mozzart Sport chatted with the team’s fullback Leeon Nyang who explained that the emotional intensity at that moment was unlike anything they had experienced. Nyang came in during the final half, and he noted that the pressure was too much on the pitch.
“For a minute, everything shattered. We were in the perfect shape to take the Prinsloo 7s title and also the overall title. The pressure was too much before the game. We were tense because of the ‘what if’ questions and our brains were not settled.
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We had the game in the last minutes but we lost it. I also was focused on team calls instead of shining individually, even in spaces I was sure I could try,” he revealed.
The former Egerton Wasps player was however grateful to the technical bench for stepping in with timely words of encouragement during that moment.
One key figure on their technical bench, Patrice Agunda, a psychologist, played a crucial role in handling the intense situation with calmness.
Other experienced players like Herman Humwa and Wiseman Aganya also reignited their drive.
“But respect to our technical bench. They picked us up and asked us to stay strong because we could not change the result of the game.
They encouraged us to keep the anger burning so that we could win the remaining matches,” he opened up.
Having missed out on a semifinal spot, they had to win all their remaining matches to secure fifth place and stand a chance of claiming the overall title. Their fate, however, was not entirely in their hands. They needed Kabras RFC to fall short of winning the tournament to keep their hopes alive.
Nyang explained that each match became crucial from then on.
“From there, the rest of the games were very personal because we needed to amass maximum points. Our technical bench did well to uplift us and we won the remaining matches to be crowned champions,” he concluded.
Quins displayed consistent form throughout the season, reaching five semi-finals out of six tournaments and securing wins at the Kakamega Ingo 7s and Driftwood 7s to clinch the championship with 110 points. That result saw them join their Nairobi neighbours—Impala, Mwamba RFC, and KCB Rugby—as one of the most successful teams in the National Sevens Circuit.
This was also Paul Murunga’s third National Sevens Circuit title as a coach, having previously won two with Homeboyz Rugby.
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