NAIROBI, Kenya, March 27, 2021/ — The Kenya Rugby Union has suspended the Kenya Cup league until further notice.
This follows the Presidential directive on Friday putting a halt to all sporting activity as part of a wider Covid-19 mitigation strategy.
Kenya Rugby Union chairman Oduor Gangla said: “We regret any inconvenience caused to all our stakeholders, notably clubs, players,match officials, fans and our broadcast partner, Mediamax.
“We thank The Ministry of Sports Culture and Heritage, the Ministry of Health, all our supporters and the Kenya Rugby Fraternity at large for the support they have showed us during this trying period and our safe return to rugby.”
Having fully met the Kenya Rugby Union’s eligibility criteria and ultimately the Ministry of Sport’s requirements for registration under the Sports Act, Administration Police Warriors became the 49th full affiliate of the Kenya Rugby Union during the organization’s annual general meeting which was held online on Wednesday 29 July 2020.
Four other clubs namely – Chuka Vikings, Vihiga Granites, Meru and CITAM were unsuccessful in their bid for affiliation.
The law enforcers play in the KRU Nationwide league, which is the third tier of Kenyan club rugby competition and narrowly missed out on sustaining their push for promotion to the second tier KRU Championship after losing 20-9 to Shamas Rugby Foundation in the Nairobi Region semifinals earlier this year.
Commenting on their inclusion, KRU Chairman Oduor Gangla said, “We’ve watched AP Warriors go from strength to strength over the last three years they’ve been playing, we are happy to welcome them into the rugby family.
Relive the moment AP Warriors affiliation was presented before the KRU AGM on this link https://bit.ly/3hIP46e
The vacant coaching post for the Kenya Sevens Rugby is now open to qualified coaches from all nationalities.
The Kenya Rugby Union has since lowered the entry criteria that was initially reserved for only locals after just three applicants submitted their papers for the hot job. The post fell vacant following the resignation of New Zealand’s Paul Feeney last month.
It is not yet clear why the rugby union sought the services of a local though with the new season set to kick off in October. The uncertainty on exactly when the ban on international travel will be lifted still not clear, could also have played a big part.
Only three candidates expressed interest in the job, forcing KRU to re-advertise for the same position and cast their net far wide.
“The Rugby Union is now looking for a coach from any country with a minimum of three years experience as a head coach in a division one club elite squad and a minimum World Rugby Level two coaching certification in either sevens or 15s rugby,” KRU said in a statement.
According to the statement, the overall responsibility of the new coach will be to guide the sevens squad and the management of a performance programme to ensure that the selected players are best equipped to compete and perform in the international assignments as defined by the KRU though the main responsibility remains guiding the team at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Japan.
Kenya qualified for the Summer Games after clinching the Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens title in Johannesburg. The other big assignment for the yet to be employed coach will be leading the team at the 2021 HSBC World Series.
But now, KRU might find a new tactician before October for the Safari Sevens tournament
Theresumption of the local circuits –the Kenya Cup and Championship — will be subject to the directive of the the government as the country continues to monitor the Covid-19 situation.
“We will only resume play as per the directives of the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Sports where we understand earlier this week Sports Cabinet Minister Amina Mohamed formed a committee to advise on the resumption of sporting activities across the country,” Oduor Gangla, KRU chairman, was quoted by The Standard.
“The same will apply to Kenya Cup and KRU Championship leagues which are in the playoff stages.”
Feeney, a former Auckland and South African Stormers coach was appointed as the KRU Technical Director in September 2019. He led the Shujaa to the Olympics Sevens qualifications and surely the incoming coach will have big shoes to fill.
NAIROBI — The Kenya Rugby Union has welcomed the decision of the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee to postpone the games to 2021.
With the current status of the world right now and the unprecedented spread of COVID-19, this is the right direction taken by the IOC.
The resulting scenario is difficult as both our men’s and women’s teams had qualified in good time and were well into their preparations for the event. We will however have to reshape our calendars as we await further information.
Kenya Rugby Union Chairman Oduor Gangla said: “We support the IOC’s decision. It is a decision that prioritizes player welfare, fan safety and social responsibility. As a result, our players will continue with their remote training programs.
We would also like to take this opportunity to urge the public to continue following the Government and World Health Organization COVID -19 guidelines. “
Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) will have to put its house in order in terms of management ahead of the new 2019/20 season to avoid the confusion that saw Shujaa survive relegation on the final leg of the HSBC World Sevens Series in France last weekend.
Local rugby lovers watched with bated breath as Shujaa rallied late to escape the chop after a turbulent season punctuated by players’ revolt against an unfamiliar decision by the union to compel players to take pay cuts.
Lack of finances coupled by unwarranted boardroom wrangles by union officials scared away from the team. The ripple effect was dearth of funds to pay players’ salaries, forcing the then Richard Omwela-led administration to slice salaries and allowances of the playing unit by almost three quarters.
Willy Ambaka even gave a hint that some of the current players could be taking home a meagre Sh20,000 monthly pay after toiling for the nation abroad.
With tough economic times in Kenya and better offers from clubs, senior players opted out of the Sevens Series. Shujaa coach Paul Murunga was left with no option, but to call inexperienced players to fill the gap. The ripple effect was there for everyone to see.
Kenya did not make it to the main Cup quarters the entire season with Shujaa, once the pride of African rugby forced to chill out at the basement for the better part of the season.
For the first time in the recent past, Kenyan rugby enthusiasts like Mbaluto Musili, followed the Paris leg with sunken hearts. The morale was at its lowest ebb. Only the gods of rugby could save the country at this moment of need and for some miraculous reasons Kenya survived the chop-thanks to Scotland who beat Japan in the last group match to save the East Africa side from relegation.
According to Musili, a journalist with Tuko.co.ke, Shujaa’s poor performance is a reflection of the mess at the Ngong-Road secretariat that was once described by Dennis Ombachi, one of the senior players who boycotted the call to the national team, as a “container”.
“Poor decisions and planning. They keep milking the cow without feeding it and expect the same amount of milk,” Musili told Sportsnews Africa.
For the new administration led by the Oduor Gangla, KRU must put their house in order, look for the resources and have a round-table talk with senior players for the good of Kenyan rugby.
But as we await for office to act, Musili and the rest of the Kenyans who ‘ stops the clock’ whenever Shujaa steps on the pitch to cheers their favourite players remain hopeful that Shujaa will rise from the ruins and once again bring smile on their faces.
The rugby world has been quite abuzz recently for what one might consider good, bad, or controversial reasons.
Early last month, SANZAAR, the Super Rugby governing body, announced that from 2021 Super Rugby will revert to the round-robin format and that the Sunwolves will be dropped from the competition after Japan Rugby Football Union failed to guarantee sponsorship for the team, meaning the tournament will go back to 14 teams.
Speculation was rife that South Africa’s SARU were the main agitators for the axing of Sunwolves as the extra stops to play in either Japan or Singapore were taking a toll on the Southern African-based franchises.
Others also suggested that SARU was retaliating because the Japanese voted for the French to host the 2023 World Cup, beating South Africa narrowly.
The decision by SANZAAR was a big blow to Japan who host the 2019 World Cup and more so to the Sunwolves who have been showing signs of improvement after two mediocre seasons – the axing came right after their first win against New Zealand’s Chiefs in Hamilton.
On the flip side, the competition, which had been expanded to 18 teams against common sense with too many derby matches and a complicated conference system, had caused so much hair loss, especially when it came to the trying to understand the qualification rationale to the knock out stages. So in essence this might be deemed a good call.
However, while the number of the teams has been trimmed and the conference system abolished, one can’t help but feel that the timing of the axing of the Sunwolves reeks of injustice. A bad decision if ever there was one.
Let’s talk controversy now.
The terms “inclusivity”, “tolerance” and “freedom of speech” have been bandied around a lot in many a rugby forum recently, thanks to one Isileli Folau, or Israel Folau to most of you.
A storm has been brewing over Folau’s social media post regarding many “modern vices” and what the Bible has to say about them.
Folau is a staunch Christian who doesn’t shy away from proclaiming his Christian beliefs and faith to anyone who cares to listen or not.
He “referenced” the Bible in regard to God’s message to homosexuals, fornicators and drunkards on his Instagram post where he asked them to repent or face eternal damnation.
This after being warned earlier last year by Rugby Australia to avoid what the organisation termed as homophobic and divisive social media posts after he had stated to a reporter that homosexuals are destined for hell according to God’s plan.
Rugby Australia has an active and deliberate principle of non-discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Now his rugby contract is due to be terminated and Folau has chosen to stand by his statement and the matter is due for arbitration where am sure it will be a messy affair, one that Australian Rugby can do without in a world cup year.
Folau is the Wallabies’ most potent finisher and is the current top try scorer in Super Rugby.
Folau, being of Tongan origin, will tend to be very religious just like many of his fellow Polynesian. For Folau, his Christian faith comes before anything thing else even if it means his contract is terminated.
Allow me to weigh in on the matter.
Like every human being, Folau is entitled to voice his personal opinions be they anti-gay or otherwise.
After all, he wasn’t speaking on behalf of Rugby Australia. Should his contract be shredded for what he does on his free time away from the field?
Whatever the outcome of the arbitration, I hope Folau is not sacked for holding personal opinions that are different from his bosses regarding non-rugby related matters.
What he said might not be music to the ears of the so-called liberals and corporate sponsors but the condemnation for his actions has been nothing but hysterical.
Just as gays have their rights, those who oppose the same should also have a right to voice their disagreements without being victimised.
I would add that the fornicators and drunkards, also mentioned in Folau’s post, don’t seem at all troubled by his remarks, but that’s just me.
Back at home, Kenya recently elected a new steward for our rugby in Odour Gangla who defeated Sasha Mutai in the elections to the surprise of many.
Gangla, who was the honorary secretary general under the chairmanship of Richard Omwela, inherits a union in turmoil, low on confidence and lacking in ideas.
The financial books are in the red, the 7s teams is staring at relegation from the core teams of the HSBC Series after over a decade.
We still have two legs of the circuit to end the season with the London and Paris leg up and we are currently languishing at position 13 with 26 points after eight rounds of the HSBC series and relegation seems inevitable.
This would be quite embarrassing for a team that not so far ago won the Singapore leg of the circuit under Benjamin Ayimba’s guidance.
Retrospectively, relegation might also be the kick that we need to get our house in order and for us to soberly critic our team, structures and policies in place in regard to the current trends and goals in rugby whether it is the 7s or 15s.
Finally, thumbs up to the U-20s rugby nation team for claiming the African Rugby championship title after beating the fancied Namibians in the finals.
The team will now represent Africa in the World Rugby U-20 Trophy in Brazil in July where they will play more established teams from around the globe.
Hopefully, the union will develop the team further after their exposure in Brazil and end the reactive management style that has become synonymous with rugby in Kenya.
After going through the first six legs of the HSBC World Sevens Serious with a shoe-string budget, Kenya Sevens have finally landed a shirt sponsors.
Shujaa entered into a Sh14 million-sponsorship deal with Chukua Selfie, the Anti-Aids Campaigners on Friday.
“Chukua Selfie has entered into partnership with the Kenya Rugby Union as a Shirt sponsor for the two legs of the World Rugby Sevens Series 2018/19 season,” read the statement from the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) confirming the new sponsorship deal.
The partnership that will elapse at the end of the London/Paris legs, will see Shujaa’s front shirt branded with the Chukua Selfie logo.
This is the first major sponsorship the Union has inked since the election of Oduor Gangla as the KRU chairman.
Chukua Selfie a body that encourages young men between the ages of 18 and 24 to know their HIV status.
Chukua Selfie will be the shirt sponsors for Shujaa side that had to do without senior players after the Union chopped off players’ salaries by almost three-quarters due to lack of a sponsor.
But the remaining four legs, starting with the Hong Kong and Singapore this weekend will be a different ball game altogether with the new sponsors.
Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) new appointments could be challenged at the Sports Dispute Tribunal after the Union named no woman among the new committee members.
The union even went ahead to appoint a male, Moses Ndale, to head the Women’s committee.
In the new appointments, Ian Mugambi has been appointed the new Kenya Rugby Union secretary.
The position fell vacant following the election of Oduor Gangla as the Union’s chairman in the last annual general meeting held last week.
The new appointment will see Mugambi have a lot of influence at the Ngong Road-based secretariat after he was also appointed to head two powerful committees.
Mugambi will work hand in hand with Joshua Aroni at the Finance and Admin committee while at the same time heading the Media and Communication committee.
John Kilonzo will head the Commercial committee with Kikechi Kombo as the head the Development, while Ray Olendo has been retained as the national squads committee chairman.
Full list of Committees members
Women Committee – Moses Ndale
Finance and Admin Committee-Joshua Aroni and lan Mugambi
Communication & Media Committee – Ian Mugambi
League and Competitions Committee -Hilary Itela
Commercial Committee – John Kilonzo and Thomas Opiyo (assistant)
National Squads Committee – Raymond Olendo and Oscar Mango (assistant)
Odour Gangla was on Wednesday elected the new Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chairman with a total of 33 votes.
Gangla beat former KRU Vice-Chairman, Sasha Mutai by 13 votes in a poll whose outcome might not be recognised by the government after the union went against the Ministry of Sports directive to have the elections postponed.
Gangla’s election means that KRU will also have to name a new Secretary. Mutai, who was tipped as the favourite garnered just 20 voted, missing a chance to lead Kenyan Rugby for the second time having lost to outgoing chairman Richard Omwela in the last polls.
Sasha unsuccessfully tried his luck to ascend to the top KRU job when he lost to Omwela by just two votes (23-25) but it seems that the former Director is slowly losing grounds in rugby corridors when he lost two more votes in the latest polls.
Former KCB chairman Asiko Owiro came a distant third with only two votes out of the 55 total votes cast.
Gangla joined KRU board in 2016 having previously served as the Impala Saracens chairman.