National Rugby 7s Circuit Review |The Touchline Y254

Yes, and welcome back to the touchline show. Of course, the interview segment and I'm here with Malimo Kiki. Of course, we want to discuss matters rugby and of course Malimu Karibana. >> Yeah. Thank you. Thank you so much. And thank you for inviting me again for another this episode of sports. >> Yeah. So now we I want us to start with what happened in Tanzania of [clears throat] of course team Kenya sweeping all the medals in the men's category that is the Fiasa games. the sevens side Moso winning Cardinal Lunga Mo winning and then of course Boli boys winning the silver medal and then Bula boys also getting the bronze. What a statement from team Kenya. Yeah, that means u actually the the the what the what teachers are doing in terms of preparing and the coaches in terms of preparing the the the school games. I think they they done a wonderful a wonderful job. That's why they were able to dominate the games. Actually, I've been one of the proponents of the rugby sevens and I I won. And I think uh that that trophy had been elusive for some time >> and uh in 2017 when I went to Uganda when the ministry guys were asking how come seven is dominating the world championship and we have not won East Africa because the team the previous year they were they were in in giggali rwanda >> and they they lost um that particular tournament but when they came to Kenya St. Peter's mom has won I think the games were held in. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. But now when we went [clears throat] back to Uganda they were think now away games is coming a bit elusive. Yes. But given that I was a coach by then I won the trophy in that's in Gulu. >> So from there we've built that tradition of winning the championship. Uh and the performance of the schools in in Morugoro. I think that that was a very good performance for from the teams they played and having reached the finals the two the two teams from from Kenya. I think that that was a big plus and they did a good job in terms of retaining the trophy. >> Yeah. Even in the girl side of course uh girls won the gold medal and then of course we had >> Kimobo girls from Kenya also winning the the bronze of course the silver went to Ginger of Uganda. >> Yeah. So yeah the girls I think that that's that's a good step. I remember that um the the teams the girls teams have not been doing so well as compared to to the the boys team but having inaugurated the this particular championship and by then when I was the secretary in Nairobi for for the games so I really insisted on bringing the the game in fact we organized for a meeting here at at the ministry yes >> and we have Malik who went there and by then the chairman was gangla Gangla and I really pushed for the girls rugby in high school and in fact that particular year we had some sponsorship from the union >> and from there it's the games has picked up so well and you find now forcing it also to East Africa and now get Kenya now doing well that means that we are now having the product to be able to replace and when you look at the Kenya lioness >> most of the players now are getting aged and they cannot be able to play that to that standard the international standard. So when we have these young girls coming up and winning these African trophies, that means that we in the right track of having a huge pool of players who will be able to sustain our rugby in future. >> Yes. And then of course it's not only the sevens and even the 15s because I'm looking at the boys rugby that is in the 15th St. Mel St. Mary's yala getting the getting the win. Upper Hill High School getting the you know the silver medal and then of course Ginger IC of Uganda finishing third and then in the girls category Kinali girls St. Joseph's girls kitali >> and uh you're looking at their performances I mean >> quite a statement from team Kenya and moving forward we need to see these players transitioning to the seniors. >> Yeah. Yeah. You see now the problem they they get lost quite a number of them a big chunk of these players they get lost we they we cannot be able to tap their talents they retain them and find now you can get an MVP MVP who has who has been um probably invited to be admitted in a in a college that is not playing rugby. So in in the process it get lost because now we we are not we are not maintaining the trend of having these particular players then we we f them up and they we keep them in a rugby playing club or a college. Yeah. So so that that that's where we we we intend to lose part of them. But now we have some who are lucky they transit to those particular college are playing rugby universities and probably they also to colleges that are near the club clubs in the regions that clubs are playing rugby. So they they get they get on the on that particular aspects of playing the game. So it works out well for them. But if they go the other side and you remember their parents sometimes of communities they will not support that. So the player get lost on the way and we end up losing that but and this player is an MVP in East Africa. It happens. Yeah. >> All right. Congratulations of course to St. of that school is closer to where I come from and I wish them all the best. So I'm looking at the national four legs are [clears throat] down at the moment and then we remain legs to go and I'm looking at KCB and Cabras they've been they've been trading blows all season I mean now Cabras got their revenge against DCB yeah Driftwood sevens I mean with the two legs remaining to be played who do you see has that mental capability to to get the to get the overall win? uh when I look at uh KCB has an edge and having what made them to reach the finals I think that really helped them to accumulate those particular points 76 points against 73 a difference of three well if one of the team lose it doesn't make to the quarterfinals and then the other one takes it yeah but I see it will go to the wire though when you look at the way that both teams Cabras and KCB played yeah these are the same teams that if it maintain the the way they have been pulled >> then [clears throat] um they'll be able to make it to the finals again that's in embu but now it depends two sakis are remaining so what what KCB needs consistence in the in the in the finals >> yeah then they'll be able to be the trophy will be safe >> but if they end up flopping then Cabras will be able to take it but if cabras also flops then KCB will have a ride yeah but uh when you look at oil last week 58 points Still if the two flops and they get maximum points the two legs fine then they also be in the mix. I mean I mean the top two is quite you know known at the moment that is KCB and Cabras. I mean what about the other sides? Can we say now the gap between Cabras and KCB? I mean KCB and Cabras are on another level and then we have these other sides the the likes of you know Harley Quinn da Falcons >> talk of uh the competition the competition between the two the the two sides >> the difference is quite >> it's not huge but the way you started you know it's about taking your chances and about preparing the teams how you prepare them the endurance and uh how the skill level of the team uh the depth of this particular the depth of the teams because you might see a team that reached that the quarterfinals but now the main cup but now in the the following series yeah they cannot be able to make with the quarters that tells us uh at the consistency is not there and it looks it's about the depth of the players so how how how ready were you prepared for this particular championship in terms of endurance in terms of high performance were they subjected to the right one uh skill level strength the mental strength. Yeah. So it's about the coaches and the the other the technical the technical team. So if that doesn't work well then they end up but so far so good. You find that the two teams I think they have done the right investment right structure uh game plan is also there the coaches are managing it well and they also having a good health of the players so that whenever they do the replacement you cannot be able even changing also from one circuit to another they cannot be able to realize that a big gap and that's why those particular teams are there and the other ones have falling down yeah but all in all I think we've experienced a very good season uh from the two all the teams uh but now from the third leg I think we are now able to see how the other ones were not be able to maintain the consistence but so far Cabras KCB they playing very good rugby >> all right and of course uh uh Kabras flopped at the Kabir sevens oh yeah >> and of course now they went ahead and won the driftwood sevens speaking after the match their captain and of course their assistant coach uh spoke about you know getting the mentality I mean get telling the players now this is your time to shine and sure that you get to win this particular leg in case you want to get the overall title at the end of the leg the circuit. >> Yeah I think they had it just they made some errors and the errors were costly because at times they went and they could not be able to they were in the most of the time they were in the red zone but now that consistent they end up losing the ball and the other guys capitalizing on it. So that that's what made it it went up to the last minute and the errors that made Cabras made I think it cost him in that particular match but the they played a very good game. Yeah. So just about the consist they came back driftwood fine I think that was okay and it was a good win a good play a tough one a strong one. Uh but now we expect them to see the the remaining consistence for the two legs. they maintain it then the three points gap they'll be able to uh to close it and uh win the the overall circute and get the prize >> and then of course Zech Oaks they were promoted to division one after you know winning the division two by beating uh stallions a total of 367 I mean >> uh what kind of impact do you think uh do you expect them to bring to division one in the coming leg? Yeah. Well, well, um that's the strength. You know, now the biggest problem with the leagues, it's about the strength. When you look at division two strength and division one strength, yes, it's they're playing against very weak teams and the team that comes from division two cannot be able to maintain the consist that the strength of division one and that's where the major problem. They have a very good player, the captain that Brian Oondgo, I think is a very skillful player who can be able to hold the team. If if can be able to prepare well and hold his team, then they'll be able to at least make an impact and be in the main cup during the the uh the MU7s, the next MU7s. But at times the strength that that's where the the challenge comes in. So you find there one circuit then they back again to division two. >> All right. You've spoken about the coming leg of course the circuit heads to head to Embu next weekend. >> How do you expect maybe the change in climate altitude from the co to maybe affect the conditioning of the players will it alter the performances that we've seen so far? >> Not really. You know these players come from most of them they come from up country very few people come from the co probably they could have been affected when they went to the co because a bit hot yeah >> but uh having come from the regions I don't think it will be able to affect fact they they'll be able to find the the environment conducive and you find that given the game will be more aggressive in embu than the way it was in the course 2 it depends on how they have come [clears throat] to prepare themselves that endurance recovery within particular team what they have been subject ed into for preparation of that particular game. So if they did a team and a coach had a good recovery period and preparing for that particular camp, the right mental structure then we'll be able to uh they'll be able to to play well the the MU7s. Uh so we we expect um at least a good game and now given that you have um the the the two teams that are eyeing for the overall championship we we expect do we expect a higher uh and a good game to be played in embu this particular leg will mark its historic 60 >> 60th edition >> as the season finale. >> Yeah sure. H how fitting is it you know to ensure that now the crowning of the champion the overall champion will be done at the RFUA grounds up Nairobi. Yeah, I think that that's good because now it would be at the at the headquarter >> and uh it would be also be very good for the rugby partn society who was who really invested in it for this particular tournament to kick off in early '90s and having being at the city I think people it would have tracked a huge crowd to be able to to to watch this particular particular game and given that it would also be the final game of the season I think it would [clears throat] very good for people to attend and more so I think the teams now will be coming up to play. We have the those ones will be selected now for the Kenyan sevens team >> for the next assignment. I think they'll be want to to outshine and probably they'll also have the last the last the last game for for scouting. >> Yes. And then of course after the four legs that we've witnessed so far uh aside from maybe KCB and Cabras which other team do you think I mean which which other team has surprised you the way they've performed so far? >> I've seen DA Falcons though we have some of the Kenya sevens players coming from that particular university. I think they they have really played well. Uh they stratmo played well but I think they lost a track in between but Oilers they have also played well but we also have others that played well in Kumu but now they have flopped. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. But I think DA has really played well. >> All right. Uh quite a statement win for Cabras at Driftwood Sevens. Of course, now they be heading to Embu for the Embu 7s. But now at the top of the summit, you're looking at KCB, they have 76 points. Cabras, they have 73. And then now the gap is wide because 15 points separates third place from second place. >> Yeah. Well, well, I think that's why I mentioned earlier about um maintain that consistency and endurance and um fixing the areas where probably they've not done well and also the depth of the players and in between probably the injuries of the some of the players. Uh so it really affects it affects the game. So if you have your main players getting injured in between and you cannot be able to feed that cup properly. Yeah. So probably you might find a team has reinvested in 15th rugby where you have more players playing 15th and even seen one of the coaches who was saying that I've never coached sevens. I've always been coaching 15th. Yes. But this time now he has been upgraded to 15 sevens game but the players played well. So it it is about how how many how you have your backs and forwards though rugby is also changing where you be able to see the backs and the forward. You can't be able to the difference and some of these teams now especially in the national teams they are winning because now their game is fast a fast first game and you cannot be able to marate between a back player and a forward player. Yeah. Yeah. They are all aggressive and that's why we having even some teams are talking about the hybrid player a player who will play at the back and also the players who play the forward and um it's all about [clears throat] the game and the dynamics of the game. So it's what what happens is the players the coaches are supposed to be on top of the game. Yeah. >> And the new trends of the game. So be able to maintain that consistency in between. But they started the seven circuit well. But all is not lost. We have still have two more circuit for recovery. Yes. >> And then they'll be able now to know and set again for the next season. Mim in Mombasa we saw emerging stars emerging servants of Uganda getting the invitation to participate in this particular competition. >> Yeah. >> How important is the national seven circuit not only for Kenya but also the east and central Africa because >> Tanzanian Uganda it's like >> they you know benchmarking what we're doing in terms of rugby. >> Oh yeah. So I I think uh the people who supposed to push that one Uganda because they on the pecking order though now we are it's like we are we are in the same playing the same level but Kenya had gone so far. Yes. >> So probably initially they didn't realize the need of having Uganda but the competition is competition. I've seen South Africa >> whenever you you make a request you want to play they also invite you because they want to see rugby being played. Yes. And uh having the Gant team coming up, I think it also spies up the the game and you can be able to realize that you can also know it also enables you to know how how how far the other your opponents have gone in terms of preparing their game and when you see a team showing interest that means uh they did something they are doing behind and it's good for us to be able to see what Ugandans were were doing and probably when we play the African seven sevens now they'll bring in a different uh game plan and it's good for us also to prepare and also just playing against them instead of it also kills that monotony and you can be able to realize some new aspects of the game also coming and even the coaches also learned something about the game >> mhm after the the national seven circuit that we the final leg that will be staged at at >> grounds >> everybody will be talking about the safari sevens of course Kenya we are set to host the opening leg. I mean >> talk about that are we ready and what are the things you expect to see from team Kenya? >> Well uh you know Kenya is a seven playing nation so we expect them to win that particular leg and then the two remaining also to yeah remember like last time yeah what happened we won here but otherwise we didn't perform though we still qualified for for the main one. So we we we need to take maximum maximum chance to but win that particular game >> so that now we we also and do well in the remaining two so that we among the top four teams that will be able to qualify for the main circuit that is in Hong Kong in Spain and and France. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So that we we calculate and see are we can shall we be able to have a chance of making it to the main circuit the next the following year. >> Yes, we did not qualify the last time out we played of course the way teams are being promoted that format has changed and after the Safari 7s we we will be now you know looking at the HSBC division 2 tournament. I'll ask you the same thing. H what what should you expect us to do differently that we did last time and we did not qualify for the first division? >> Yeah. Well uh you know there's no shortcut. It's about coaches getting the right structure of the game also about the new trends of the game. Yeah. Because you see I was thinking like sevens now there's an um people teams are playing the aerial attack. Yeah. Shall we be able to maintain maintain the same? So that's what the coaches are as opposed to be looking now. Uh they mon what the others are doing and also going out to getting also others to come and and help or having friendlies uh different tournaments featuring in different tournaments. I think that will help. Yeah, probably they can have autonomy in France, Rome, Amsterdam. So asking to probably in South Africa see what they doing and have a friend with them. >> So that's that's what will prepare us for that particular tournament. But now uh the way when you look at the seven circuit I think we have the players who are equal to task they can be able to take us back. But now it depends on the investment that we are going to put in to prepare for those particular championship. But if we don't put it in the right way, then we'll still be here and we'll even go down to division three. [laughter] >> Yeah, it happens. Yeah. But yeah, if you don't take your chances, you don't prepare well. Yeah. And the other teams are preparing well then you get relegated and relegated. Yeah. And it's more difficult to to come out from those particular uh tournaments. Yeah. You know, it's like you you in a jungle and you want to come out of the jungle. So it becomes difficult. Yeah. And you get a team that is not even playing structured rugby. Yeah. Yeah. So it's even you you try to put a structure they come and destroy it and you end up losing and you know seven is the 14th minute so you end up losing and we've once been there we've just played a good game and we get a team that's not just playing scrappy rugby and we end up losing that particular game. >> I mean Mimu away from the HSBC division 2 the safari sevens I'm looking at some of the matches internationally that are set to be played today. Oh yeah. >> Okay. The season is not yet officially started. But I'm looking at South Africa. They set to face New Zealand. >> Oh yeah. The great rivalry. >> Yeah. The the greatest rivalry. How do you see this particular game and >> some of the takeaways for team Kenya from this particular match? Of course they they are our opponents. [laughter] >> Who are opponents? >> I mean South Africa. >> No no it can't be. We are not there. We are far match and it will take many years to be that particular level. I don't know what will happen. Yeah. But uh I think they just need to put structures in place. But we look at I think South Africa. Yeah. When they play spring books, spring books when they played last weekend against New Zealand, they really played well. >> But I think what caused them was the errors, ball handling errors, uh they were not because they dominated. When you look at the scrums, they really dominated the New Zealand. But that consistency was in there and the errors really costed them. Uh so they let out the ball and New Zealand capitalized and New Zealand capitalize on it. So New Zealand I think they were very lucky to come out of that part. Even when you look at what he said [clears throat] actually they they were very lucky and when you see today they have made quite a number of changes. We have the captain is back though de has play played a very good game. I think he's one of the players the key players now in South Africa and he came in due to injury but now I think he's one of the top players now in South Africa among the the forward players. >> Yeah. So he's he's played well. Uh so we expect we've also made changes though we had Poland one of the experienced players who have won two world cups in 1923 >> but he got injured and in the upload in the young guy Sach we also manly book so we expect a first game and um I think Cape Town is also an area where there's a lot of wind and the South Africa has mastered though New Zealand has won the game in South Africa so we expect um a tough game on both sides but uh out of four remaining uh three matches remaining on on the great rivalry we expect to come back strongly >> and if they need to they have no choice they have to win the the three games because they are playing at home after four years they'll travel down to New Zealand so they have to win this one and next weekend again when they go back to Johansburg yeah >> and then the last one that we played in in USA >> yeah so they need to capitalize on the two they are playing at >> [laughter] >> What is it? No, no, no. We not there though, though. I [laughter] don't know. Yeah. If we cannot be able to beat Zimbabwe and Namibia and qualify for the World Cup, then what are you talking? These are world championship. They have won twice and even next year the way they are playing, they are likely to win even the World Cup next year. >> Yes. >> And as we we are struggling to qualify. How do how do you [laughter] >> Yeah. Well, I think we can study what they're doing. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's possible. Yeah. Once we put the structures in place, the aged rugby, we put it we have profile our players. Um, then we have many players also playing professional rugby. Yeah. Let's let's let's market our let's market our players. Yeah. We want to see players playing in the league 14. We have want players to play in in South Africa in USC. Let's have players there. Let's have players also in New Zealand and Australia. I think once we we invite them for this particular tournament it becomes easy and that's why Namibia has really been punishing us for that and I've seen even a player today uh last was it last yesterday but one from Zim. >> Yeah. Well, he's been now been uh is now going to play in England. Yeah. So that is that's what we want to to see and now it becomes difficult because now you see now it's like now Zim they are that were much below us now they have qualified for the world cup and uh their players now being sold by the scouts to play professional rugby >> and we also need to professionalize our game we've been amateur for quite some time >> finally other international matches that are set to be played today I'm looking at Argentina of course they are set to face Australia later tonight I mean >> what should we expect from this particular uh match. >> Yeah. You see the the two teams lost to New Zealand and Agenda lost to South Africa though the margin was too small and uh now now the the what's what what what's supposed to do with the the two teams I think they need to work so hard especially Argentina because Argentina is playing at home. Uh so Argentina needs to work hard couple to improve on the mistake they made against the spring box. Yeah. >> Then they win that particular game. If they win that particular game, they'll be in a better position. Uh but so far when you look at the two, New Zealand have won, South Africa won. So South Africa stands a high chance to and New Zealand stands a high chance to lift the trophy. >> All right. >> Thanks for your time for the insights that you've given in Mas Rugby. Hope to see you soon. >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> Yeah. So coming up after this short break will be the final segment of the touchline show. Of course the fan zone. We here to speak about European football Manchester United after they were beaten by Hull City last weekend. They will be all out today against Switchtown. Will they win at home? Arma they'll be surprised again today. And then of course Manchester City yesterday they got their win against Crystal Palace. Illing Holland scoring two goals. Ryan Sherik also getting to the score sheet. So these are the things we'll be discussing after this short break. So we send them keep it the touch line. Keep it Y254.