Upper Hill stun Kisii to reclaim school games rugby title

Upper Hill are the new rugby 15s champions after stunning Kisii School 15-08 in a thrilling final of the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Term One Games staged on Saturday at Jomo Kenyatta Stadium Mamboleo, Kisumu.

The Nairobi region giants got off the mark in the first minute of the match when Arnold Bushuru danced past Kisii's defence to score a brilliant try, handing them a 5-0 lead.

10 minutes later Upper Hill earned a penalty after foul play by Kisii with Benjamin Eceru converting to extend their lead to 8-0.

However, their celebrations were cut short three minutes later after they conceded a penalty, which Laystone Onduko converted to reduce the deficit for the reigning East African champions to 8-3.

Bramuel Marucha then scored an excellent try in the 26th minute, leveling the scores for the Raptors heading into the break.

However, Upper Hill regained their momentum in the second half scoring again through Shakur Nyongesa with Benjamin Eceru converting brilliantly to reclaim their 15-8 lead.

It was a savouring moment for the former champions who had gone eight years without the national title with their last being in 2018.

However, for Kisii it was a heartbreaking moment after losing their second consecutive final and their wait for a maiden title continues.

They promised, and they delivered. Upper Hill clearly had just one goal: to take the national title to Nairobi. Coach Newton Mose did not mince his words when he promised to clinch the title on Friday after seeing off Kakamega School in the Semis.

"It was a game of two halves but we managed to compose ourselves and won. We've been trying and our hard work finally paid off," Mose told the press.

He remains buoyant about also completing their memorable journey by clinching the East African title.

"We've been at the East African Stage before and we know what it means to play there. We will also give our all to win the title," added Mose.

For Kisii, they will now have to train their guns on defending their East African title after the national heartbreak.

Elsewhere, at Kisumu National Polytechnic St. Mary's Yala shocked Kakamega Barbarians 21-5 to take home the bronze medal.

However, both teams will join Kisii and Upper Hill at the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSA) School games in August in Arusha, Tanzania.

In the girls' final, Kinale clinched the title in style, beating St. Joseph's Girls Kitale (JOGA) 23-05 to conclude the championship in a fairytale with an unbeaten record.

Kinale made history by becoming the first girls' team to win the title after the sport was introduced as part of the sporting activities this year, and they did so having conceded only five points in the whole tournament.

The Kijabe-based school completed a double against JOGA  after beating them 22-0 in the preliminary matches. St. Maurice Girls Mwira settled for bronze after defeating Mbagathi Girls 19-12.

Kinale, St. Joseph's Girls Kitale and Mwira will now represent the country in the FEASSSA school games.