Safari 7s Review: Kenyan teams shine, depth on display, empty stands and a tragic loss
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 14.10.25. | 10:49
Kenyan teams made good use of home advantage to win both categories for the senior level
The curtains fell on the 2025 Safari 7s on Sunday, 12 October, at the Nyayo Stadium, marking the end of a bittersweet tournament.
Shujaa were crowned champions, for the fourth time, after edging Shogun Rugby 14-7 in a tense final.
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Their female counterparts, the Lionesses, also reclaimed their crown with a hard-fought 14-10 win over Uganda’s Lady Cranes.
It was sweet revenge for the Kenyan ladies, who lost to Uganda in 2023 and failed to reclaim the title last year against Barbarian Costa Blanca.
When the final whistle blew, the Lionesses stormed the pitch to celebrate with their Shujaa brothers in what was a fitting picture of unity and triumph.
Mozzart Sport takes a look at what was a dual-edged tournament.
A bittersweet start
The tournament kicked off on Friday, 10 October, a public holiday.
Ordinarily, fans expected packed stands, especially with night matches lined up.
The day started with the age-grade category, where favorites Kinale Rugby defended their title after defeating Western 25-7 in a one-sided final. Then came the night matches.
But the excitement dimmed, quite literally, when Nyayo Stadium’s floodlights failed, plunging the venue into darkness.
The night fixtures had to be postponed to Saturday.
Although power was later restored for the Legends match, the damage and the mood had already taken a hit.
Then came the saddest news of the weekend. Late Friday night, reports emerged that Belgium Women’s head coach, Warren Abrahams, had tragically passed away in Nairobi.
Belgium withdrew from the tournament and returned home.
The rugby community was left in mourning, and a minute of silence was observed before Sunday’s final in his honor.
Depth, dominance on pitch
Despite the cloud of sadness, Kenyan rugby’s depth and talent were on full display.
Shujaa fielded their regular stars, but it was the Morans who captured hearts with their fearless performances en route to a third-place finish.
Debutants Elton Amalemba, Rayvon Ambale, Daniel Kipchirchir, Victor Mola, David Nyangige, and Arnold Muita announced themselves with flair and confidence.
The Morans had one of the toughest routes to the podium, facing quality sides like UK Select and Shogun Rugby.
They narrowly lost 14-12 to Shogun in the semifinals before bouncing back to defeat Zimbabwe in the bronze final.
Coach Kevin Wambua could not hide his excitement after the tournament, admitting that the quality on display had given him “a good kind of headache” ahead of selections for the HSBC Series.
Lionesses lead by example
The Lionesses too impressed, with Kenya’s decision to field three women’s teams (Lionesses, Cubs, and Mwamba Select) a clear statement of growth in the women’s game.
Star winger Janet Okello, who plies her trade in Japan, was in electric form, scoring five tries and being named Women’s Player of the Final.
Edith Nariaka, Faith Livoi, Naomi Amuguni, and Sinaida Mokaya also stood out, proving Kenya’s women’s rugby has a promising future.
Empty stands, big questions
While the rugby on the pitch thrilled, the empty stands painted a worrying picture.
Apart from the VIP section, the rest of the stadium was visibly empty for most of the tournament.
Was it a marketing issue, ticket pricing, or simply a lack of rugby culture among fans?
Tickets went for Kshs 750, though flash sales offered them at Kshs 300, still, attendance remained low.
Away from the pitch, the afterparty was a highlight. The setup was vibrant, the spacing excellent, and performances from Khaligraph Jones and MC Gogo lit up the night.
All in all, the 2025 Safari 7s delivered both glory and grief, lessons and laughter.
But off the pitch, there is still work to be done because rugby is a good sport that deserves a full house to witness it.
