Zetech Oaks shines at KUSF national inter-varsity rugby championships

Zetech University's rugby team, Zetech Oaks, performed commendably at the KUSF National Varsity Rugby Tournament held at Egerton University in Njoro, Nakuru county, on Saturday and Sunday.

Competing in the intense competition, the team made a strong impression despite falling short of clinching the top prize.

On the tournament's first day, Zetech began its campaign with mixed results. They narrowly lost to Multimedia University (MMU) 07-14 in their opening match.

However, they quickly bounced back with a 33-07 victory over Meru University, followed by a solid 19-00 win against the University of Eldoret (UOE) to secure their place in the quarterfinals.

Knockout Stages

Zetech faced Moi University in the quarterfinals, where they emerged victorious with a narrow 07-05 win. This set up a challenging semifinal clash with Kabarak University, a match where the Oaks were outplayed, losing 00-15.

In the 3rd place final, Zetech encountered MMU once again but couldn't replicate their earlier form, falling 00-07.

Despite these setbacks, Zetech's journey to the 3rd place playoff was notable, considering they are a development team within the institution's rugby program.

Speaking to Citizen Digital in a post-match interview, Zetech Oaks head coach Ramsfeld Matekwa expressed his satisfaction with the team's overall performance.

"It was a good show from the boys, being a development team from the main team. We are looking forward to integrating a new pool of players from the just-concluded September 2024 intake." he voiced.

"The technical bench is working tirelessly to ensure that the development team is up to the task ahead of them," Matekwa said.

With a strong technical team, including Strength and conditioning coach George Okello, team manager Nicholas Mutwiri, and sports coordinator Wycliffe Sirengo, Zetech University's rugby program is focused on building a robust talent pipeline.

The coaching staff is optimistic about the team's future and is dedicated to nurturing new players to strengthen both the development and main teams.

Kabarak University was crowned the overall winner after running riot 31-00 over Machakos University. Kabarak will now represent Kenya in the East Africa competition.