The Scoop on the Kenya Rugby Scene.

 As usual we continue to BLOOM,and here is where we give you the 4-1-1 candidly.THE BLOOMER hereby brings on board Poghie a.ka Pitseh,one of Kenya's all time rugby fanatic and a staunch KCB supporter(read his blogs-'Kenya gunners' and 'Pitseh',they blew me away).
Here is his inside story.

So a lot has been happening on the rugby scene this side of lake victoria,considering that it is off season. Clubs looking to strenghten their sides,the national side kicking off their defence of the Victoria and elgon cups,heads rolling at the 7’s management and much more.

Let’s start with the proverbial ‘historic transfer  window’ players moving from club to club as they would during any other transfer window. Not that this has not been happening  before,but not with the same magnitude. With the main culprits being the newly promoted Homeboyz rfc  (Manchester City) picking up a sizeable number of players so far. The likes of Brian Nyikuli,Ken Isindu,John Ahenda,Kelvin ‘kichwa’ Omiyo,Gisore just off the top of my head add that to the already established players in the team like Ken Moseti,Indimuli,Steven Matioli and you can see them giving the ‘big three’ a run for their money. By big three I mean K.C.B,Quins and Impala. These are just a few of the transfers that are going through,those that I am aware of this far.Nondies are also looking to add a few new faces to improve their woeful perfomance last time out,which saw them escape relegation by the skin of their teeth. The rest of the clubs would not want to be left behind so expect a few shake ups here and there. As with any human being change does not come without a few rigid bodies here and there. Most of these rigid bodies have been from among the fans and parent clubs (the selling club) questioning the loyalty of the players and branding them ‘money chasers’.  If you are offered a better paying job in the same field you are in,with better conditions,wouldn’t you take it? These players have families to feed,school to pay for,rent to settle let’s not get petty! In the long run the pay packages will help us grow rugby into a professional sport,it won’t happen overnight. Clubs will have to look after their players welfare a bit better than they were in order to stay relevant.
Kenya’s defence of the Victoria cup started on a rather dissapointing start,with the men(I don’t call them boys ) going down  to a much improved Zimbabwe 42-24 in Harare. Head coach Michael ‘Tank’ Otieno pointed out our inability to close down counter attacks as the major stumbling block.
We get a chance to close the gap on Zimbabwe in the Victoria cup standings and improve our I.R.B rankings when we face Uganda tomorrow at the K.R.U grounds in a Victoria and Elgon cup double header. As expected tank made a few changes some forced some tactical,notable and most talked about is the inclusion of sevens recent mainstays Humphrey ‘Tall’ Kayange and Andrew ‘Arms’ Amonde rightfully so,to deal with the counter attacks. Tall and Patrice should be a very interesting pairing at the centres with Nato Simiyu at Fly half it looks like a very pacy yet strong back line with Sudi ‘seduction’ and Abuoga patrolling the wings,Vincent Mose completing the back three. Also included are Curtis Lilako,Dennis Karani both earning their first full caps,Ronnie Mwenesi,Duncan Ekasi,Brian Okwomi and Kenny Andola. With many of the changes being in the forwards,and judging from the kind of forwards he’s brought in,tank is looking to play a lean and very mobile forward line with more play being at the backs. A notable exclusion is Daniel Kiptoo which points to my earlier point on a lean forward line (though it is no light pack). The rest of the changes are more a man to man Adimo for Andola Mwenesi for Umbuge giving the players exposure,very happy to see ‘project 2015’ getting in there! With that I expect Tank to line them up as follows (1-15).
Joel Nganga,Vincent Ongera,Moses Amusala,Ronnie Mwenesi,Anthony Mutai,Andrew Amonde,David Mogere,Duncan Ekasi,Peter Mutai,Nato Simiyu,Peter Abuoga,Patrice Agunda,Humphrey Kayange,Victor Sudi,Vincent Mose. With the likes of Allan Omuka,Curtis Lilako and or Dennis Karani,Ken Andola,Edwin Achayo and Martin Likami offering the options from the bench to coming in for any tired legs to run the ugandans later in the game.I expect either Nato or Mose to take the kicking role though tank mentioned Abuoga as the territorial kicker,so I expect him to take them,but either of the previously mentioned to take the kicking for  points role,Mose being my first choice by the way. With this I can safely put my neck on the chopping board that we will comfortably put six tries past the sebos,let alone the four tank was talking of. Go to kampala to confirm ourselves as elgon cup champions AGAIN,it will be good to lift the cup in uganda for once. Let me not get ahead of myself here ..
Speaking of the chopping board,guess whose neck did not make it out? By now you know its Benjamin Ayimba’s! We all saw it coming after the season we had and even benja trying to speed up his exit by having a ‘heated’ exchange of words with bwana shairman! Here is a link to an interview he did with Sports Arena.com.   

I’ll highlight a few parts,where he says that he blames the slump in performance on the players who according to him,had become full of themselves and success had got to their heads. He goes on to mention a clique of players. What was he running,a shop? He was the coach,if a player feels that he is too big for the team,’Shoka ianguke’ there are very many players out here,able and ready! The other part I want to draw your attention to is where he talks of structures and that there is no quick fix,agreed totally! We need to have a fully fledged Shujaa team as he mentioned,a team that plays the sevens brand exclusively. That way we get closer to fulfilling the potential that is kenya sevens rugby.The rest is just him showing us what a short memory he has.Correct me if I am wrong but did benja have any I.R.B coaching experience when he was appointed? And no being a player does not count! Mitch brings in a load of experience locally I dare say more than benja had when he took over.As much as I know,Mitch is a disciplinarian,he wont take the cliques that benja is talking of!
 I wish Benja all the best in his future as he is an integral part in the development of the game,we need more people with the passion he has for the game. Unfortunately or rather the complete opposite,I feel the union made the right call,he had hit his peak with the current conditions and could not hold it there.With the support of the union and clubs Mitch is the right man to take this team even further.

Finally Mean Machine's rein in the top flight has rightfully come to an end. After an uncertain period with rumors going through immediately after the new office took over,that the Kenya cup will be expanded seeing Machine retain their spot and either Mombasa or Kisumu getting a place. This would have seen a ten team league i.e Quins,K.C.B,Impala,Mwamba,Strathmore,Nondies,Nakuru,Machine,Homeboyz,Mombasa or Kisumu. Clubs voted earlier this week to keep the original 8 team format. Thus sending Machine to the E.S.S. I was partly for the expansion of the league as it would have spread the game through out the country,but the standard of rugby away from the capital is not as high. It would have seen cricket scores all over the place. So the call to shoot it down was a wise one at this point. But in the long run,structures will have to be put in place to bring up the quality out there.So that the sport can develop throughout the country. Ultimately the league will have to be expanded just not now. As for machine they just have to work their socks and boots off,I expect eschuma back in the top flight at the end of next season.
 
With that Thank Y’all!   
Pitseh