The stage is set for the Ruff and Tuff 7s tournament as pool draws have been officially released ahead of the event scheduled for 12th July 2025 at the Ngong Racecourse grounds in Nairobi.
The one-day sevens showdown will feature eight community rugby clubs as they teams prepare for the upcoming National Sevens Circuit.
Ruff and Tuff 7s pools
Pool A consists of former Sevens Circuit champions Kenya Harlequin, fast-rising Strathmore Leos, Nakuru RFC, and university side Blak Blad.
Pool B features university outfit USIU, former giants Impala Saracens, Nondescripts RFC, and Nairobi-based Mwamba RFC.
The tournament arrives just weeks after Strathmore Leos and Nondies impressed in the inaugural Kampala 7s in Uganda. Both sides cruised through the pool stages unbeaten but stumbled in the knockout rounds.
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Strathmore were halted 10–26 by the SA All Stars in the semifinals, while Nondies fell 0–24 to Uganda’s Emerging Cranes in the quarters. The Leos finished fourth after narrowly losing 7–10 to Shogun in the third-place playoff.
Teams will be using the Ruff and Tuff 7s tournament as a crucial tune-up event before the 2025 National Sevens Circuit, which kicks off with the Driftwood 7s in Mombasa on July 26–27 and concludes with the Dala 7s in Kisumu on September 13–14.
The curtain will fall on the sevens season with the Safari Sevens from October 10–12, though the exact venue is yet to be announced.
Kenya Harlequin will be looking to build on their impressive 2024 campaign, where they clinched the National Sevens Circuit title for the first time since 2012.
Quins tallied 109 points across the season, narrowly edging Kabras Sugar (105 points) and bagging victories at Driftwood and Ingo Sevens. It marked their fourth overall circuit title, adding to wins in 2005, 2006, and 2012.
2025 Ruff and Tuff 7s pools
Pool A : Kenya Harlequin, Strathmore Leos, Nakuru RFC, and Blak Blad.
Pool B: USIU, Impala Saracens, Nondescripts RFC, and Mwamba RFC.
