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Why Strathmore Leos' halfback was sparingly used at Safari 7s
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Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 18.10.25. | 09:45
He had limited minutes on the pitch, featuring only in the second half of the semifinal against Shogun Rugby
Strathmore Leos halfback Arnold Muita was among the nine debutants who featured for Kenya Morans during the 2025 Safari Sevens held at the Nyayo National Stadium.
However, fans might have noticed that Muita had limited minutes on the pitch, featuring only in the second half of the semifinal against Shogun Rugby and later in the third-place playoff against Zimbabwe.
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Mozzart Sport chatted with the team’s tactician, Louis Kisia, who explained that it was purely a matter of balance and squad rotation.
“We had 13 players, so it was just a matter of balancing things and ensuring everyone got a chance to play because they are all part of the team. We already had enough halfbacks, players like David Nyangige, Rayvon Ambale, and Eugene Ojiambo, so there was no need to include a fourth one. Muita happened to be our 13th player,” Kisia offered.
Kisia further emphasized that such rotation is common in rugby sevens, even at the international level.
“As the days went by, he did not get a run on Friday or Saturday, but I can assure you that whenever we have a 13-man squad for Shujaa, even in the World Series, every player eventually gets playtime.
For instance, in our match against Nyati, Kevin Wekesa was our number 13 and did not feature, while William Mwanji did. It is really just about rotation and testing different combinations,” he offered.
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©Tabby NashipaeThe Morans wrapped up their campaign on a positive note, clinching third place after defeating the Zimbabwe Cheetahs 19–12 in a thrilling bronze final played on Sunday, 12 October.
The result was particularly commendable given the youthful nature of the squad, which included several players earning their first national call-ups.
Among those debutants were Strathmore Leos’ Victor Mola, Elton Amalemba, and Arnold Muita, as well as Daniel Kipchirchir of Menengai Oilers, who had a standout season in the 7s circuit.
Others making their first appearances for the national development side were Rayvon Ambale (Kabras RFC), David Nyangige (Impala RFC), Clinton Amukwachi (Daystar University), and Arnold Agonda.
The Morans impressed throughout the tournament despite a challenging draw in Pool C, where they faced Reunion, Apache, and Zimbabwe.
They topped the group with three commanding wins: 24–0 against Reunion, 28–10 over Apache, and 27–7 against Zimbabwe before edging UK Select 21–19 in the quarterfinals.
In the semis, they narrowly lost 14–12 to Shogun Rugby, a team representing Spain’s national side, before redeeming themselves with the bronze medal victory.
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