Who is Oliver Mang'eni the incoming KCB Rugby coach?
Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 06.08.24. | 09:53
His appointment comes at a crucial time for the club, which is eager to end a three-year Kenya Cup drought.
On Friday, 2 August, KCB Rugby announced their decision to part ways with long-serving coach Curtis Olago. His contract expires at the end of the month, and KCB revealed that it would not be renewed, marking the end of his 13-year tenure.
During his time with KCB, Olago achieved significant success, securing five Kenya Cup titles, two National Sevens Circuit titles, five Great Rift 10s championships, three Enterprise Cups, and numerous floodlit rugby titles. He joined KCB Rugby as a player in 2008.
Recent protests over KCB's disappointing performance in the Kenya Cup had been growing louder, with fans leading the charge. Despite winning the 2023 National 7s Circuit, a string of defeats to arch-rivals Kabras RFC proved to be the final straw for Olago’s tenure.
On Saturday, 3 August, Oliver Mang’eni was unveiled as Olago’s replacement. But who is this man tasked with leading one of Kenya's rugby powerhouses?
The name Oliver Mang’eni is already well-regarded among local rugby enthusiasts.
The 36-year-old is the current lineout coach for KCB. He played for the Bankers for 12 years, from 2010 until he retired at the end of the 2022 Kenya Cup season. He also played for Shujaa in the 2014–2015 season.
Mang’eni is a serial winner, having claimed the Kenya Cup a record five times—in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022. He won the Enterprise Cup on three occasions—in 2015, 2016, and 2017—and has five floodlit titles under his belt—in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2019.
_(1)-min.jpg)
He won two consecutive National Sevens Circuit titles in the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 seasons, the Rugby Africa Cup in 2013, and was part of the World Cup qualifiers squad that narrowly missed out on the 2014 World Cup. He also won rugby tests against Hong Kong, Portugal, and Spain in the 2015/2016 season.
Mang’eni represented Kenya in the Repechage in France in 2018 and played in the Currie Cup Division 1 in 2022 under Paul Odera.
What does his appointment mean for KCB?
His appointment comes at a crucial time for the club, which is eager to end a three-year Kenya Cup drought. The last time the team won the title was on September 4, 2021, when they defeated Kabras Sugar 28-25 at the Nandi Bears Club.
In an exclusive interview with Mozzart Sport, Mang’eni expressed his deep respect for Olago, acknowledging his contributions and the valuable experiences gained under his guidance. He was pleased that Olago set a high standard for the club and is eager to follow in his footsteps.
"These are huge shoes left by Curtis, who is also my mentor and a good friend. During my playing days under his guidance, I played my heart out. We went through thick and thin together, both on and off the pitch. I have great respect for him. Even if he were to come back, I would gladly deputize him,” he said.
.jpg)
Mang’eni will need to turn things around for the club, which has faced more setbacks than successes recently. The Bankers have lost several key players to retirement, including Darwin Mukidza, Curtis Lilako, George Asin, and Andrew Amonde, among others. Mang’eni will be focused on nurturing young talent.
"We have faced criticism, but fans need to understand that sports follow a cyclical pattern. Sometimes a team is low, then it rises, peaks, stagnates, and the cycle continues. I am working to steady the ship by developing more talent who will bring a competitive edge to the team. We aim to recruit younger players from high schools, hone their skills, and integrate them into the senior team,” he said.
The Bankers currently sit third in the 2024 National 7s Circuit table with 32 points after two outings. They finished fifth at the Christies event before improving to second place at the Kakamega Ingo 7s.
-min.jpg)
