Rugby in Kenya

• Weekly Ramble

  Posted: July 31, 2008, 1:55 pm by DataMiner

  I really don't have much to ramble about today. Most of what I said earlier has come to pass as predicted. I really wonder when the KRFU will wake up to the realities of the modern game. Firstly the National Team. The team has departed for Tunis without four front row players who can hold their own anywhere in Africa. Daniel Kiptoo, Vincent Ongera, Frank Ndong and Joel Nganga are all

• Kenya Cup League Table as of 26/07/08

  Posted: July 30, 2008, 6:33 pm by DataMiner

  As released by the Kenya Rugby Football Union TEAM P W D L FOR AG DIFF B PTS Impala 13 11 0 2 375 173 202 8 52 KCB 12 9 1 2 392 157 235 7 45 Quins 12 8 1 3 345 193 152 9 43 Nakuru 12 9 0 3 261 167 94 6 42 Mwamba 13 6 1 6 250 289 -39 4

• Kenya Team to Tunisia

  Posted: July 29, 2008, 12:30 pm by DataMiner

  The Coaching team have named the travelling team to Tunisia for the second game of the CAR Cup/RWC Qualifying match. The squad is as below. Derrick Wamalwa (KCB), Frankline Amiani (KCB), Lawrence Buyachi (Nakuru), Kennedy Gikaru (Kenya Harlequin FC), George Odipo (Kenya Harlequin FC), Anthony Ogot (KCB), Paul Okech (Mwamba), Paul Murunga (KCB), Paul Oimbo (Impala), Wilson Kopondo (Mean

• Kenya Cup Week 14

  Posted: July 28, 2008, 1:36 pm by DataMiner

  It doesn't get any better does it? As predicted, the middle order is playing the role I expected. Nakuru stumbled against Mwamba while Impala and KCB kept the march going. My calculations without seeing the official scores show Impala remain on top with a seven point margin and KCB have leapfrogged to second. Quins are at third and Nakuru now at fourth. With Impala not putting in as much as

• Kenya Cup Results

  Posted: July 26, 2008, 12:52 am by DataMiner

  Impala 18 Strathmore 0 KCB 20 Machine 3 Nakuru 15 Mwamba 20 Nondies 43 Mombasa 10.

• Weekend Games

  Posted: July 25, 2008, 1:35 pm by DataMiner

  The battle for the Kenya Cup Rugby Title continues this weekend. In what is turning out to be one of the most monumental battles ever, the race is wide open with only five weekends to go. Any slip up by any of the top four sides is one finger off the trophy, metaphorically speaking. League leaders Impala take on Strathomore at home. KCB and Nakuru are away to Mean Machine and Mwamba

• Weekly Ramble

  Posted: July 23, 2008, 2:31 pm by DataMiner

  Today, a departure from the norm. A storm seems to have been raised about the level of officiating during the Impala vs. Harlequins match over the weekend. To me it is a bit belated since I have variously posted on the level of officiating in this country but then it did not seem to matter. Let me ponder about our referees. Refereeing is a very difficult task. It is one of those jobs that

• Kenya Cup League Table as of 19/07/08

  Posted: July 21, 2008, 8:08 pm by DataMiner

  Official Kenya Cup Standings as of 19/07/08 as released by KRFU. TEAM P W D L FOR AG DIFF B PTS Impala 12 10 0 2 357 173 184 8 48 Quins 12 8 1 3 345 193 152 9 43 KCB 11 8 1 2 372 154 218 7 41 Nakuru 11 9 0 2 246 147 99 5 41 Mwamba 12 5 1 6 230

• Kenya Cup League Table as of 19/07/08

  Posted: July 21, 2008, 6:56 pm by DataMiner

  Official Kenya Cup Standings from KRFU TEAM P W D L FOR AG DIFF B PTS Impala 12 10 0 2 357 173 184 8 48 Quins 12 8 1 3 345 193 152 9 43 KCB 11 8 1 2 372 154 218 7 41 Nakuru 11 9 0 2 246 147 99 5 41 Mwamba 12 5 1 6 230 274 -44 4 28

• Kenya Cup Week 13

  Posted: July 21, 2008, 3:13 pm by DataMiner

  And quite an interesting week it was. League leaders Impala dropped three critical points that should see their lead dwindle to only three points. KCB also lost the tempo and succumbed to Nakuru. My basic calculations without seeing the official standings therefore have Impala in first place, Nakuru three points adrift, Quins sneak into third place two points adrift of Nakuru and KCB take

• Kenya Cup Results

  Posted: July 19, 2008, 1:32 am by DataMiner

  Quins 19 Impala 18 Nakuru 35 KCB 25 Mwamba 24 Strathmore 21 Machine 58 Mombasa 10.

• Appeal

  Posted: July 19, 2008, 7:34 pm by ruggerbug

  Further to this week's ramble by DataMiner and subsequent comments on the blog to do with the scheduling of games, I was pleasantly surprised to see this article.  It has always appeared that the mainstream media had been bought by the KRFU.  No adverse articles ever appear in it and everything seems hanky dory to the outside world that relies on this media as a source of information.  That the

• Weekend Games

  Posted: July 18, 2008, 3:33 pm by DataMiner

  Kenya Cup continues this week with the excitement continuing to build. League leaders Impala are away to Harlequins, KCB at home to Nakuru, Mean Machine host Mombasa and Mwamba host Strathmore. The first two games are definitely woth the money as they are the top four clubs at the moment. That someone must drop points implies positions changing at the top of the league table. Mean Machine and

• Weekly Ramble

  Posted: July 17, 2008, 2:33 pm by DataMiner

  Today I'm just going to ramble about and hope I make a point somewhere along the way. Just a quick review of where I think we are, going through my rambles from yore. Sponsorship in sport. I had looked at that briefly in two articles here and here. Have I changed my mind? NO. Figures reaching me have it that Tusker, the title sponsor for the Safari Sevens sold 6,000 cases of beer during the

• Kenya Cup Week 12

  Posted: July 15, 2008, 1:54 pm by DataMiner

  As the Kenya team were preparing to face Cameroon, the league went on as usual. No surprises really bar the Nakuru Strathmore game not taking off for untold reasons. That the rest of the top teams won with bonus points means there is no re-alignment at the top except for Quins hopping to third position since Nakuru did not play. Interesting times ahead, any slip up and you lose your position.

• Weekend Games

  Posted: July 14, 2008, 2:21 pm by DataMiner

  The big game turned out not to be so big after all. Cameroon did not come to the party at all and we walked all over them. Their disjointed travel plans and attempts to ensure they were the underdogs did not deter out boys to the task at hand. From their warm-up it was pretty clear they were not going to be a challenge. Their routine vaguely resembled a high school warm up for a Damu Pevu

• [nt]

  Posted: July 14, 2008, 2:19 pm by DataMiner

• Kenya vs. Cameroon

  Posted: July 13, 2008, 10:50 pm by DataMiner

  Final scores Kenya 76 Cameroon 8.

• Kenya vs. Cameroon

  Posted: July 13, 2008, 7:52 pm by DataMiner

  Half time scores Kenya 41 Cameroon 3. Injera is on fire and could have had 4 tries by now.

• Kenya Cup Results

  Posted: July 12, 2008, 12:31 am by DataMiner

  KCB 46 Mombasa 3 Quins 36 Mwamba 15 Impala 42 Nondies 21

• Match Put Off

  Posted: July 12, 2008, 7:06 pm by DataMiner

  Due to the late arrival in the country of the Cameroon National Rugby Team, the match has been put off to 4.00 p.m. tomorrow. The team had a visa hitch that delayed their arrival in Nairobi only till this morning. Reports have it that the squad is also the bare fifteen that landed and I'm still awaiting information as to when they expect the rest of the team to arrive. I will post the results

• Weekend Matches

  Posted: July 11, 2008, 5:54 pm by DataMiner

  Other than the CAR Cup/RWC Qualifier pitting Kenya against Cameroon, the Kenya Cup continues. On the undercard for the big game will be Mwamba vs. Quins. Mombasa are at home to KCB and so are Nakuru to Strathmore. Nondies host Impala at Jamhuri Park. The Mwamba/Quins game should be the pick of the day. It will however be diluted by the absence of international players on both sides. Both

• Kenya Team to Face Cameroon

  Posted: July 10, 2008, 2:45 pm by DataMiner

  The team will be as follows. Daniel Kiptoo, Vincent Ongera, Derrick Wamalwa, Paul Oketch, George Odipo, Allan Onyango, Wilson K'Opondo, George Mbaye, Peter Mutai, Lavin Asego, Horace Otieno, Biko Adema, Humphrey Kayange, Collins Injera and Innocent Simiyu. On the bench shall be Joel Nganga, Frank Ndong, Paul Murunga, Paul Oimbo, David Gitau, Cyprian Shimenga and Vincent Mose. It looks like a

• Weekly Ramble

  Posted: July 9, 2008, 2:42 pm by DataMiner

  The KRFU on Friday released, for the umpteenth time, "Final Fixtures" for the season. As much as people think rugby is the most organised sport, with set fixtures, dates, etc., that is just a perception. How fixtures can change so much in one season leaves a lot to be thought about. I'd imagine dates don't shift around on a calendar and the fact that rugby is only played on Saturdays, getting

• Kenya Cup Week 11

  Posted: July 8, 2008, 6:18 pm by DataMiner

  Impala maintained their lead at the top of the table with a difficult game against Machine. They however moved slightly away from the chasing pack with Nakuru's loss to Quins. They are now seven points clear at the top from Nakuru and KCB who are now joint second. Quins retain their fourth position. As if on cue from my posts and several comments from guests, the National XV's coach has

• Kenya Cup Results

  Posted: July 5, 2008, 12:19 am by DataMiner

  KCB 36 Strathmore 7, Quins 19 Nakuru 16, Machine 0 Impala 10, Mwamba 17 Nondies 17.

• Weekend Games

  Posted: July 4, 2008, 2:02 pm by DataMiner

  The battle for the Kenya Cup Rugby title continues in earnest in week 11. League leaders Impala are away to Mean Machine, second placed KCB host Strathmore, third place Nakuru are away to Quins and Mwamba at home to Nondies. The first two matches I'd give the ranked teams. The third match should be a battle for third position. Quins have slowly risen up the table and a win may see them jump

• Weekly Ramble

  Posted: July 2, 2008, 2:15 pm by DataMiner

  When I started my Weekly Ramble, I had decided that I would not repeat myself in these at the risk of becoming boring. However, the events of last weekend leave me wondering what way forward, really? In this past post, I had wondered what we are trying to achieve in our training. I thought I was actually on the coaches' side on this one. However, after reading this article in yesterday's

• Weekend Results

  Posted: July 1, 2008, 6:04 pm by DataMiner

  No surprises really over the weekend. Quins won big against Strathmore 64-7. Impala 32 nil against Mombasa. Mwamba 23 to 5 against Machine and Nakuru 21, Nondies 12. I'm yet to see the official standings, but Impala should retain their lead, KCB second and Nakuru third. The battle for fourth is opening up but Quins retain the position, Mwamba should leapfrog over Machine and Strathmore have

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Fish cakes

Alas a fish cake.

Yet more fish cakes

Guess what ... yeah ... fish cakes.

The end of the fish cakes