By Vincent Mogoi
KCB Rugby and Kabras Sugar did exactly what they needed to do on the opening day of the 60th Christie Sevens, cruising through their pools at the RFUEA Grounds and setting up a bracket that keeps the two title rivals apart until the very end.
The Bankers were ruthless in Pool A. They opened by putting 40 points past MMUST without reply of any real substance, winning 40-5, then repeated the scoreline against Club Afrique, the Pan-African invitational side making its circuit debut. With qualification already wrapped up, KCB eased through their final group match, beating hosts Kenya Harlequin 27-12 to finish with a perfect three wins from three.
Kabras matched that intensity in Pool B, brushing aside their group with the same no-nonsense approach that has defined their circuit campaign, and joined KCB among the sides already through to Sunday’s Main Cup quarter-finals.
The two closest rivals in the 2026 National Sevens Circuit standings now find themselves on opposite sides of the draw, meaning the earliest they could meet again is the final, exactly the kind of outcome both camps would have wanted heading into the business end of the tournament.
Elsewhere at RFUEA, the day threw up its share of drama. Kenya Harlequin’s home comforts didn’t help early on, as they fell 26-19 to Club Afrique before steadying themselves with a 27-12 win over MMUST. Menengai Oilers gave Strathmore Leos an early scare, edging them 17-10, only for the students to hit back later in the day.
With pool play wrapping up and the knockout stage looming, KCB still hold the upper hand in the overall circuit standings, six points clear of Kabras. But nothing will be settled until Sunday, when the real fight for bragging rights, and the national crown, finally gets underway.
