Paul Murunga advocates for player rest amidst crowded rugby calendar
Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 07.06.24. | 13:22
This year, rugby players have had rigorous schedules
From the early battles of the Kenya Cup, straight into the high-octane Super Series, and now the Enterprise Cup. Their calendars have been jam-packed with competitive matches.
The 2023/24 Kenya Cup season ended on April 6 and a less than a month later, on April 20, the Enterprise Cup kicked off with the pre quarters stage. The quarters were played a week later on April 28 before the semifinals were pushed forward to pave the way for the Rugby Super Series which happened from May 4-25.
Following that, the Enterprise Cup semifinals resumed last weekend, and the finals are scheduled for Saturday 8 June. After the Enterprise Cup, players have a month to prepare for the 2024 National 7s Circuit which kicks off on July 28.
While this constant exposure to high-intensity rugby is beneficial for sharpening skills and maintaining match fitness, there's a growing concern about player fatigue.
The lack of a preseason to build conditioning and a proper offseason means that they are playing back-to-back matches without sufficient recovery time, potentially leading to physical and mental exhaustion.
Playing with minimal rest might be a recipe for diminishing returns on the field.
The first person to voice this was Kenya Harlequin coach Paul Murunga who called for effective planning in the future to incorporate adequate breaks into the rugby calendar to prevent fatigue and ensure athletes maintain peak performance levels.
Pau was speaking to Mozzart Sport after the Enterprise Cup semifinal match where Quins suffered a 32-18 defeat to KCB Rugby.
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As a former player himself, he noted that a well-structured schedule, which includes sufficient preseason and offseason periods, was essential for players' physical and mental well-being
“The season has also been a long one for players. They have played many matches over and over. After this (Enterprise Cup), we only have a month to go before we start 7s. It should be packaged well, maybe fewer games because the players are fatigued because they have played many games this season. There is no preseason, and no offseason. Come next season, they should consider in terms of players' rest and to manage the fixtures,” Pau offered.
At the same time, the former Kenya 7s tactician observed that the Enterprise Cup was not as vibrant as it was during his playing days. He noted a marked decline in both publicity and sponsorship.
He reminisced about a time when the tournament drew significant attention and enthusiasm from fans and media alike.
The tactician called for a renewed effort to revive the tournament's former glory and restore its prominence in the rugby calendar.
“Before, the Enterprise Cup was more prestigious compared to now. As time went by, the Super Series came in between and we had to finish the last semifinals and the finals. All these games can be much better if there is more sponsorship and publicity. I am sure most people do not know that the Enterprise Cup is on,” he concluded.
KCB Rugby will lock horns with arch rivals Kabras RFC in the finals of the 2024 Enterprise Cup slated for June 8 at the RFUEA Grounds.
