Strathmore Leos crowned champions of inaugural Ruff n Tuff 7s
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Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 12.07.25. | 20:07
In the last four, the Leos were made to work for their place in the final
Strathmore University’s rugby team, the Leos, produced a commanding performance to win the inaugural Ruff n Tuff 7s tournament after a thrilling 21-5 victory over Mwamba RFC in the final held on Saturday, 12 July, at the Ngong Racecourse.
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The one-day tournament, organised as a curtain-raiser ahead of the 2025 National Sevens Circuit, brought together eight Kenya Cup teams in a competitive showcase of skill, structure and flair.
It also provided a crucial opportunity for teams to test depth and combinations before the national circuit kicks off with the Driftwood 7s in Mombasa on Saturday 26 to Sunday 27 July.
Strathmore’s route to the title was anything but easy. Drawn in Pool A, the Leos kicked off their campaign with a narrow 21-19 win over Nakuru before brushing aside Blak Blad 24-5.
They stumbled in their final pool match, losing 17-7 to Kenya Harlequin, but still topped the pool and advanced to the semifinals.
In the last four, the Leos were made to work for their place in the final.
In a tight encounter against Kenya Harlequin, it was a try by Shem Okolla and a crucial conversion that saw them edge a 19-17 win and book a date with Mwamba.
The final was all about intent and execution. Strathmore struck first through Victor Mola, whose midfield break left the Mwamba defence in disarray.
Brian Mwendwa added the conversion to make it 7-0.
Mwamba looked to respond but were undone by a knock-on deep in Leos territory.
The pressure did not let up, and a brilliant setup play saw Elton Amalemba cross the whitewash, with Mwendwa again accurate from the tee to make it 14-0 at halftime.
Mwamba’s attempt to claw back in the second half suffered a setback when a misjudged kick fell kindly to Mwendwa, who punished the lapse with a solo try. He converted his own effort to put the game seemingly out of reach at 21-0.
Strathmore’s defence stood firm, frustrating Mwamba’s attacking efforts. However, in the dying minutes of the game, Eliakim Kichoi was injured in a tackle by Mola.
Mwamba capitalised on the numerical advantage after a yellow card reduced Leos to six men.
They camped in the Leos’ 22 and finally got on the board through Mike Gitonga’s late try.
The conversion was successful, but it proved nothing more than a consolation as Strathmore sealed a 21-5 win and with it, their first Ruff n Tuff 7s title.
Earlier in the semifinals, Mwamba had edged Kenya Harlequin 17-14 in a bruising contest.
Tries from Aldrine Adanje and Dennis Ndeyala gave them the edge, despite a spirited comeback by Quins that featured a brace from Ramadhan Masete.
Third-place playoff
In the third-place playoff, Quins bounced back to defeat Nondies 24-10 in a renewed rivalry clash.
Brian Omondi and Mkaisi Franklin were among the try scorers as Quins turned on the style in the second half to pull clear.
Blak Blad finish fifth
Blak Blad took fifth place after a 19-12 win over Nakuru, while Impala RFC finished sixth with a commanding 52-0 demolition of USIU in the seventh-place playoff.
