The 2023 National 7s Circuit has received a major boost following the entrance of Sportpesa who pumped Ksh 15 Million in this year’s edition and are set to sponsor the competition for three years.
Sportpesa has also handed Kenya 7s 22 Million for the 2022/23 season where they are expected to feature in the Africa Men’s 7s which will serve as the Olympic qualifiers as well as the path for World Challenger Series which will serve as the promotion tournament to the top tier.
How National 7s Circuit money will be used?
Following the sponsorship, the league will be known as Sportrpesa 7s Circuit. The deal will see the overall winner of the circuit pocket Ksh 600,000, runners pocket 300,000 shillings while third place will land 150,000. Division Two winners will head home with 50,000 shillings.
For each tournament, winners will get 100,000 shillings, 50,000 for runners up and 25,000 for the third-place finishes.
Women’s tournament will see 100,000, 70,000 and 30,000 available for grabs. Kenya Rugby Union have been handed 5 Million for administration purposes.
The National 7s Circuit announced a revised schedule for the upcoming 2023 season. The circuit will now commence on July 1 with the Dala 7s, taking place at the Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium in Mamboleo, Kisumu City.
Rescheduling of Tournaments
Due to rescheduling, the Tisap 7s, originally planned for June 24 in Eldoret, will now be held on September 2 at the Eldoret Sports Club. This change provides an opportunity for teams to prepare and participate in this highly anticipated tournament.
The second round of the circuit, the Driftwood 7s, will be hosted in the vibrant coastal city of Mombasa at the Mombasa Sports Club on July 8. Following this, the circuit will take a break to accommodate the World Rugby U20 Trophy, set to take place in Nairobi from July 15 to July 30.
On August 5, the action moves to Nakuru City for the Prinsloo 7s, held at the Nakuru Athletic Club. Nairobi’s RFUEA Ground will then be the stage for the prestigious Christie 7s on August 12.
The circuit will culminate in the grand finale, the George Mwangi Kabeberi Memorial 7s, which will be held on September 9 in Nairobi. This thrilling event will showcase the top teams competing for the coveted title.
Established in 1999, the National Sevens Circuit has become a highly anticipated annual series of rugby sevens tournaments in Kenya. Hosted by various clubs in collaboration with the Kenya Rugby Union, the circuit brings together teams from across the country.
Teams participating in the circuit accumulate points based on their performance in each tournament, aiming to secure the prestigious National Sevens Circuit title. The 2023 circuit will feature six tournaments in five different cities and towns across Kenya.
National 7s Circuit
- Dala 7s | Kisumu | July 1-2
- Driftwood 7s | Mombasa | July 8-9
- Prinsloo 7s | Nakuru | August 5-6
- Christie 7s | Nairobi | August 12-13
- Tisap 7s | Eldoret | September 2-3
- Kabeberi 7s | Nairobi | September 9-10
