Former Kenya Cup side South Coast Pirates have appointed Tony Khadambi as head coach ahead of the new campaign.
Khadambi, a Kakamega School alumnus, has spent the past season in Uganda, where he captained Jinja Hippos, leading them to their first-ever appearance in the Uganda Rugby Premiership. He also represented the side in the ongoing Uganda 7s Series.
Tony Khadambi’s reaction
Speaking on his appointment, Khadambi said:
“Honestly, I was both surprised and humbled to be selected among many strong candidates for this role. I wanted the opportunity, but I wasn’t sure I would get it. Having previously spent two weeks with the Pirates earlier in the year, I saw first-hand the hunger and potential in the squad.
“That experience planted a seed and felt this was a team I could contribute to in a meaningful way. Now that I have been given the trust, my focus is to give my all and serve the club with the dedication it deserves,” he told the Club’s media.
“Personally, this move comes at the right time. At Jinja Hippos I was serving as a player-coach balancing leadership on and off the field. Right now, I’m not retiring from rugby as a player but simply putting the playing side on pause to give my full focus to coaching. Pirates feels like the perfect place to take that next step in my rugby journey i.e. to grow as a coach while helping the team reach its ambitions,” he added.
Speaking on his coaching philosophy, Khadambi is built on three pillars: “My coaching philosophy is built on 3 pillars i.e. discipline, empowerment and resilience. I want to build a disciplined side where players uplift each other and every player feels valued and important to the team. I want a group that is not afraid of hard work or competition but embraces it as part of growth.
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“Last season, one of the challenges Pirates faced was relying too much on structure and coaching directions. We had brilliant players, but at times they struggled to make independent decisions on the field. My aim is to change that.
“For me, coaching is about equipping players with the tools to understand the game and not just follow instructions. I don’t want players who wait for the coach’s word before acting. I want players who can read situations, make decisions and take ownership on the field,” he said.
As a player, Khadambi turned out for Homeboyz RFC, Moi Arsonists, Impala RFC, and Kenya Harlequin before making the move to Uganda. He has also featured for the Kenya Rugby League National Team.
The new coach now faces the challenge of guiding South Coast Pirates back to the Kenya Cup top tier, with competition expected from strong sides including Catholic Monks, Homeboyz, Mwamba RFC, and Western Bulls, among others. He has coached at Moi Arsonists and Tororo Crest.
Khadambi takes over from Kevin Amiani, who served as head coach for three seasons and famously led the Pirates to their maiden Kenya Cup qualification in 2024, making them the first-ever team from Kwale County to feature in the country’s top rugby league. However, they lasted just one season in the top tier before being relegated.
In a statement released in May, the Pirates confirmed their decision to part ways with Amiani, thanking him for his service and clarifying that he would no longer hold any role or capacity within the club.
