Strathmore Leos claim inaugural Ruff N Tuff 7s title

Strathmore Leos were crowned champions of the inaugural Ruff N Tuff 7s tournament after a dominant 21-5 victory over Mwamba RFC in the final held on Saturday at the Ngong Racecourse.

The win was a historic moment for the university side as they lifted their first Ruff N Tuff title, capping off a strong outing for the students.

Drawn in Pool A, the Leos opened their campaign with a hard-fought 21-19 victory over Nakuru before brushing aside KU's Blak Blad 24-5 to top their group and proceed to the knockout stages.

In the final, Strathmore displayed both intent and execution from the start. Victor Mola opened the scoring with a piercing midfield break that left Mwamba’s defence trailing. Brian Mwendwa added the conversion to give Leos an early 7-0 lead.

Mwamba looked to respond but a knock-on deep in Leos’ territory squandered their momentum. Strathmore capitalised with a well-worked team move that ended with Elton Amalemba diving over for their second try. Mwendwa remained flawless from the tee, sending his side into halftime 14-0 up.

The second half began in disastrous fashion for Mwamba, as a misjudged kick gifted Mwendwa possession and space. The Strathmore playmaker made no mistake, racing clear to score and converting his own try for a commanding 21-0 advantage.

Mwamba were handed a late lifeline when Mola was sent to the sin bin after a high tackle that saw Eliakim Kichoi stretchered off. With the numerical advantage, Mwamba finally breached the Leos' resolute defence through Mike Gitonga’s try, which was successfully converted. However, the late surge wasn’t enough, and Strathmore held on to seal a 21-5 win.

Strathmore’s Brian Mwendwa was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for his all-round brilliance, which included scoring and converting two crucial tries in the final.

Leos head coach Willis Ojal praised his team’s character and cohesion.

“We worked as a team and the boys played for one another. Our defence was tight throughout. We are happy for the win."

"The win has surely psyched the team up ahead of the circuit. We are targeting a top-two overall finish and we have to start strong to achieve this,” said Ojal.

Mwamba’s head coach Lavin Asego remained upbeat despite the loss, hailing his youthful side’s fighting spirit.

“I’m proud of my team’s performance. It’s a new squad, with many players drawn from the ESS Cup."

"Being in Division Two, many downplayed our chances, but we showed what we’re capable of,” said Asego.

“We’ll be in Division Two at Driftwood 7s and our target is to win and secure an invitational slot for Division One at Prinsloo 7s.”

In the semifinals, Mwamba edged Kenya Harlequin 17-14 in a bruising encounter. Tries from Aldrine Adanje and Dennis Ndeyala proved decisive, despite Quins’ Ramadhan Masete scoring a brace.

Quins recovered in the third-place playoff, beating rivals Nondescripts 24-10. Brian Omondi and Mkaisi Franklin were among the scorers as Quins pulled clear in the second half.

Blak Blad took fifth place with a 19-12 win over Nakuru, while Impala RFC finished seventh after a commanding 52-0 win against USIU in the seventh-place playoff.

The Ruff N Tuff 7s offered a glimpse of what to expect in the upcoming National Sevens Circuit, with teams like Strathmore and Mwamba setting the pace early.