Nondies Legends unveil star-studded squad for Legends Cup opening leg

On Saturday, 24 May, the Kyadondo Rugby Football Club will have its doors fly open for an extraordinary sporting action as the highly anticipated Legends Cup takes centre stage.

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Brimming with nostalgia, this occasion will bring together a collection of legendary rugby players who have long hung up their boots, with some embracing managerial roles in esteemed clubs.

The match is also expected to revive the glory days of some of the greatest legends in the history of Kenyan and Ugandan rugby.

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The Kenyans have assembled a strong squad that includes some of the brightest stars of their time.

Oliver Tambo starts at hooker and is assisted by Joel Ng’ang’a and former KCB Rugby skipper Curtis Lilako on the front row. Lilako also serves as Assistant Coach-Skills and Development Programs at KCB.

The engine room has former rugby player-cum journalist Allan Namu and Odi Odera. Former KCB Rugby hooker George Asin and former Kenya Simbas captain Wilson Kopondo will lead the start as a flanker with former Nondies captain Tony Owuor starting at number eight.

Former Nondies scrum half Evans Musili will start at full back and will be covered by his former teammate George Nyambu and Edwin Machanje on both wings.

Pete Tyrell and Lewi Maina will start in the midfield.

The bomb squad is loaded with the likes of KCB Rugby coach Oliver Mang’eni, Mwamba Ladies coach Tito Oduk, fly half Kevin Gachoka, and former Heathens player Vincent Mose, among others.

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The Kenyan Legends will be looking to pick up from where they left off last year.

The last match pitting these two sides was held on Saturday, 29 September at the RFUEA Grounds, where Kenya emerged 24-15 victorious. Before that, the Kenyans had defeated the Ugandans 26-15 in the opening leg to bring their aggregate victory to 50-30.

That marked the second consecutive year Kenya Legends have claimed the title, following a dominant 69-18 aggregate win over Uganda in 2023. The victory extended Kenya’s winning streak to four straight wins over Uganda.

In addition to the Cup matches, both sides played an extra fixture last year against the UK Tritons, a match they both managed to win.

But how did the Legends Cup start and why?

Some years back, Nondies, the most successful Kenya Cup club, got their veterans' side to tour Southern Africa, Dubai and Europe, but the tour fizzled out.

However, former Nondies player Eddie Omondi approached Auka Gacheo, who had just been elected as Nondies chairman in 2016, to explore the possibilities of reviving the Nondies Veteran side.

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The side was reborn and participated in the 2019 Dubai Sevens. They did not tour in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid-19.

Mwamba and Kenya Harlequin were incorporated into the side that transformed into Kenya Legends and reached the Dubai Sevens semi-finals in 2022 and quarter-finals in 2023.

Uganda was approached for a series of matches on the sidelines of the 2022 Dubai Sevens, and the Legends Cup was born.