Three more Kenya Cup sides confirm participation in Kampala International 7s

The stage is set for a thrilling clash of rugby titans as four top Kenyan clubs gear up for the inaugural Kampala International 7s tournament, scheduled for Saturday, 31 May to Sunday, 1 June at the Kings Park Arena in Kampala, Uganda.

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Kenya Cup and Enterprise Cup champions Kabras RFC, Menengai Oilers, Nondies RFC, and Strathmore Leos will fly the Kenyan flag high in the 12-team competition.

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The Kenya Cup teams will be joined by elite sides from Uganda, South Africa, and the United Kingdom in what promises to be a showpiece of fast-paced rugby.

The highly anticipated tournament, organised by Uganda Premiership side Jinja Hippos, will be hoping to showcase the growing stature of East African rugby on the international stage.

A total of 12 teams have been confirmed for the tournament, including international sides like Shogun (UK) and SA Academy All Stars (South Africa), along with Uganda’s top clubs such as Heathens, KCB Kobs, Black Pirates, Buffaloes, Jinja Hippos, and the Uganda Emerging 7s team.

The tournament format will consist of four pools of three teams each, with pool draws, fixtures, and other details expected to be announced soon.

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For the Kenyan teams, it will be a revenge mission. Kabras and Menengai Oilers have had their equal share of rivalries this year.

The tournament will be a fitting setting for what will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides outside the country. Their recent rivalry has set the stage for a thrilling rivalry this year.

Kabras narrowly edged Oilers 27-26 in the Kenya Cup final, only for the Oilers to exact swift revenge with a 15-0 shutout at the Great Rift 10s a week later. The Sugarmen will be out for revenge.

For Nondies, this will not be their first venture into Ugandan rugby. In October 2023, the club won the Kitaka 10s after defeating Uganda 7s champions Black Pirates 5-0 in a fiercely contested final held at the Legends Grounds.

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The victory, achieved with a single unconverted try, saw Nondies go unbeaten in a tournament held in honour of the late Ugandan rugby icon Edward Kitaka.

Strathmore Leos, who are fresh from winning the Jimmy Otieno Memorial Cup, will also be on a mission to test their skills.

The four Kenyan teams will use the Kampala 7s as a vital warm-up ahead of the 2025 National Sevens Circuit, which kicks off with the Driftwood 7s in Mombasa on Saturday, 26 to Sunday, 27 July and concludes with the Dala 7s in Kisumu on Saturday, 13 to Sunday, 14 September.

Kampala International 7s tournament Confirmed Teams:

Shogun

SA Academy All Stars

Kabras RFC

Menengai Oilers

Nondies

Strathmore Leos

Heathens

KCB Kobs

Jinja Hippos

Black Pirates

Buffaloes

Uganda Emerging 7s