Pools for the 36th edition of the Driftwood 7s have been announced, with the fourth leg of the National Sevens Circuit set for the Mombasa Sports Club this coming weekend.
Circuit leaders KCB Rugby, fresh off a historic five-peat at the Kabeberi 7s, headline Pool B, where they will face Blak Blad, Kisumu RFC and Uganda’s Emerging 7s side. The Ugandan outfit makes a return to the tournament for the first time since 2013, adding an international dimension to this year’s edition.
Pool A brings together Kenya Harlequin, Kabras RFC, Nondescripts and hosts Mombasa, while Pool C features Menengai Oilers, Daystar Falcons, Nakuru RFC and invitational side Kilifi, who join Uganda as the tournament’s two invited teams.
There is also a reward for NYS Spades, who earn a place among the elite after winning the Division Two title at the Kabeberi 7s. Their triumph in Nairobi secured automatic promotion to Division One, and the club has been handed a tough introduction to the top tier, drawn in a competitive Pool D alongside some of the country’s leading sides.
The Mombasa leg arrives at a pivotal point in the season-long title race. KCB currently sit at the top of the overall standings after collecting 22 points at the Kabeberi 7s to move ahead of closest rivals Kabras Sugar, who remain just six points adrift. With both sides chasing consistency across the circuit’s remaining legs, their rivalry has become the defining subplot of the season, and every pool-stage point in Mombasa is likely to carry weight in the wider standings battle.
Unlike other legs on this year’s circuit, Driftwood reverts to the traditional 36-team format and will not host a women’s competition this time round, a departure from the expanded structure used at earlier stops this season.
Action at the Mombasa Sports Club gets underway this weekend, with the circuit’s overall picture set to sharpen further by the time the dust settles on the coast.
