The pool stage of the Kenya Secondary School Sports Association (KSSSA) National School’s 15s rugby games came to a dramatic close, with four teams sealing their places in the semifinals set for Friday at Mamboleo Stadium.
Pool A lived up to expectations with tightly contested fixtures and shifting momentum across all three matchdays.
Day 1 set the tone with a narrow victory for St. Mary’s Yala, who edged out 2025 East Africa finalists All Saints 10-8 in a tense opener. Upper Hill School, meanwhile, stamped their authority early with a commanding 26-0 win over Kwale High School.
On Day 2, All Saints bounced back to keep their hopes alive, narrowly defeating Kwale 13-12 in a nail-biter. However, Upper Hill continued their impressive run, overcoming St. Mary’s Yala 17-10 in a clash that would later prove decisive in determining the pool winner.
By Day 3, the race for qualification reached its climax. Upper Hill completed a flawless campaign with a convincing 33-19 win over All Saints, sealing top spot with a 100% win record. St. Mary’s Yala secured the second semifinal slot after a dominant 39-10 victory against Kwale.
Despite showing flashes of brilliance, All Saints, last year’s East Africa finalists, were eliminated, marking one of the major surprises of the pool stage.
Pool B was equally competitive, highlighted by a fierce rivalry between Kisii School and Kakamega School, both of whom progressed to the semifinals.
The action began on Day 1 with Menengai High School producing the biggest win of the opening round, thrashing Mang’u 46-5. However, the spotlight fixture saw East African Champions Kisii edge Kakamega 16-14 in a tightly contested match that would ultimately decide the pool winner. The clash was decided by a late converted try to deny Kakamega a win.
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Day 2 saw Kakamega respond emphatically, beating Menengai 33-14 to stay in contention. Kisii maintained their perfect run with a controlled 17-6 victory over Mang’u.
On Day 3, Record Champions Kakamega delivered the most dominant performance of the pool, dismantling Mang’u 59-3 to boost their points tally. Kisii, however, held their nerve in a defensive showdown, edging Menengai 6-3 to finish top of the pool with a perfect record.
Menengai, despite an explosive start, fell short of qualification after back-to-back losses.
KSSSA National Schools’ 15s rugby
Pool A Results
Day 1
- All Saints 8–10 St. Mary’s School, Yala
- Upper Hill School 26–0 Kwale High School
Day 2
- Kwale High School 12–13 All Saints
- Upper Hill School 17–10 St. Mary’s School, Yala
Day 3
- All Saints 19–33 Upper Hill School
- Kwale High School 10–39 St. Mary’s School, Yala
Pool B Results
Day 1
- Menengai High School 46–5 Mang’u High School
- Kisii School 16–14 Kakamega School
Day 2
- Kakamega School 33–14 Menengai High School
- Kisii School 17–6 Mang’u High School
Day 3
- Kakamega School 59–3 Mang’u High School
- Kisii School 6–3 Menengai High School
