After 6 Years in cold, Bungoma high school Rugby made a remarkable comeback, finishing third in the Western Region games.
The 2016 national 15s champions made their long-awaited return to the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) national games, this time with rugby 7s.
Bungoma last National appearance
The Bungoma County giant had last appeared at the national games in 2017 in Shanzu, Mombasa, and this year, they proved their mettle by finishing 3rd in the regional games played at Kakamega Bull ring.
Their journey to the national was nothing short of challenging, with rigorous training sessions, and unwavering determination they triumphed over a formidable Butula High School 24-00 in the regional main cup quarters to secure their spot at the prestigious national tournament.
In a nail-biting 3/4th playoff match, Bungoma High School faced off against Kimobo Secondary School picking a 12-10 win.
In an interview with The Scrummage Africa, Coach Solomon Obiero expressed his joy and optimism about posting good performances.
“It’s a good feeling to qualify for Nationals, everyone is buzzing at the moment, the boys really worked hard to be in this position and I’m happy that it paid off”.
“It also brings back some great memories about my high school days. I’m an old boy of Bungoma High School and it gives me joy to see the school back to winning ways,” he added.
He highlighted the basic skills put in by the players won them the ticket, and he affirmed his commitment to nurturing and honing their skills further.
“I must say that working on the basics of the game is something that we have emphasized a lot as a team. Key things such as passing, communicating and support play have played a big role in ensuring that we compete. We’ve also played several matches with Bungoma RFC and this has helped the team to improve” he noted.
Bungoma keen to build
With their heads held high, the Bungoma rugby team now looks forward to building on this success in the coming years.
“It is good to see the school to the top in Rugby. The school is a rugby powerhouse and it’s just right that it goes back to compete with other great rugby powerhouses” Obiero noted.
With most giants schools knocked out of the competition, Bungoma will be determined to continue its legacy as one of the formidable forces in Kenyan school rugby and remain committed to making its presence felt on the national stage for years to come.
“Our target is to compete in every department, get our basics right and take each game at a time. All in all, I want the boys to have fun,” he noted.
The national games will be held at Kakamega high school from the 7 to 12 August.
