Strathmore Leos rally past Nondies to retain Ruff ‘N Tuff 7s title

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Strathmore Leos produced a dramatic second-half comeback to edge Nondies RFC 15-14 and successfully defend the Ruff ‘N Tuff 7s title at Ngong Racecourse on Saturday.

The victory capped an entertaining final that saw the defending champions overturn a 14-point deficit with the last play of the match.

Nondies made a dream start and took the lead through Tony Fidens, who finished off a move initiated by Lameck Ambetsa. Fidens beat three defenders before touching down, with the conversion giving the Rangers a 7-0 advantage.

The Rangers doubled their lead soon after when Victor Rogena capitalized on an offload in contact to cross over for another converted try, stretching the score to 14-0.

Strathmore responded before the interval after Nondescripts were reduced to six men following a yellow card. Collins Maina raced through a gap to score, narrowing the deficit to 14-5 at halftime.

The defending champions carried that momentum into the second half as Shem Kola crossed in the corner to cut the gap to 14-10, setting up a tense finish.

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With time running out and Nondescripts seemingly on course for victory, Strathmore earned a quick tap penalty deep inside the opposition half. Samuel Wafula reacted quickest, diving over for the decisive try with virtually the final play of the match to hand the Leos a 15-14 lead.

A late Nondescripts knock-on after the restart ended any hopes of a comeback, confirming Strathmore’s successful title defence.

Individual Awards

Despite finishing on the losing side, Tony Fidens was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament after an outstanding campaign.

Nondescripts captain Ronnie Omondi finished as the tournament’s Top Points Scorer, capping off an impressive individual performance throughout the competition.