Mwamba Rugby Club have announced the re-introduction of their reserves side and age-grade programmes.
The programmes are aimed at both boys and girls and are part of the club’s rebuilding and restrategising plan after a lean spell.
Importance of Mwamba having age grade
Director of Rugby Fahad Adil Mohamed emphasized the importance of producing homegrown talent and players who understand the club’s identity and history. He said that this could only be achieved with a proper age-grade system and a feeder team for those who are knocking on the doors of the senior team.
“We have to get back to our old ways of producing home grown talent and players who understand our identity and history. This can only be done when you have a proper age grade system and a feeder team for those who are knocking on the doors of the senior team,” Fahad told Mwamba’s official website
Mwamba Rugby Club have faced several challenges, including the ejection from their traditional home at Nairobi Railway Club, and the Covid pandemic, which disrupted their activities and programmes. However, with the re-launch of their reserves side and age-grade programmes, the club is optimistic about the future.
“Covid came and disrupted all our programmes and plans. We lost good sponsorships as well. Then the move from Railway Club disorganized our strategy and we had to trim down to just senior men and women’s team. But this is now changing,” he added.
“We lost very good junior players to other clubs as we could not accommodate them in our senior team. But we’re glad that we already have a number of youngsters who stuck around and will be put in the development programmes with a view of incorporating them in either the reserve side or the senior team in the future,” Fahad said.
Mwamba invites boys and girls
The development programmes will be overseen by Peter Kepher and Joseph Baabu, who will form boys and girls teams that will take part in Kenya Rugby Union age-grade competitions. Mwamba Rugby Club have invited young boys and girls within Nairobi and its environs who would like to join their age-grade programmes to turn up at Public Service Club in Upperhill on Saturdays to meet the coaches.
The re-introduction of the reserves side and age-grade programmes is a positive step for Mwamba Rugby Club, and it is hoped that it will lead to the development of homegrown talent and a return to their former glory.
