The first day of the 2025 Embu 7s at Njukiiri Grounds served up thrilling action, with four sides, MMUST, KCB Rugby, Strathmore Leos, and Menengai Oilers ending the pool stages with a perfect record after winning all three of their matches.
They will be joined in the quarterfinals by Kenya Harlequin, Nakuru RFC, and Kabras RFC, who sealed their qualification in the decisive final round of group games.
KCB Rugby maintained their flawless form on the circuit, topping their pool for the fourth consecutive tournament. The Bankers capped off the group stage with a 33-0 victory over Daystar Falcons, having earlier seen off Mwamba RFC and hosts Embu RFC.
Mwamba found some consolation after two early losses, beating Embu RFC 17-10 in their final match. The hosts fought back to level at 10-10, but a late converted try ensured Mwamba left with at least one win.
Strathmore Leos were clinical in Pool B, closing their campaign with a 24-10 win over Impala RFC. They had earlier beaten Stallions and edged Kabras Sugar 15-14 in their opener. Kabras bounced back strongly from that narrow loss, sealing second place with a 26-0 victory over Stallion Rugby.
Mathias Osimbo set the tone with the opening try before Eric Cantona dazzled the crowd with a brace. William Mwanji wrapped up the scoring to secure Kabras’ safe passage to the knockout round.
Menengai Oilers proved ruthless, finishing unbeaten after a 24-0 win over Nondescripts. The Nakuru-based side had earlier brushed aside Mean Machine 31-00 and Nakuru RFC 21-12 to top the pool with nine points.
Nakuru, however, ensured double representation for the town in the quarters after thumping Mean Machine 41-7. Felix Okoth and Bonaventure Otieno grabbed two tries each, while Habbakuk Ouma, Edwin Anunda, and Macharia James also dotted down.
MMUST continued their resurgence on the national sevens circuit, confirming their credentials with a hard-fought 19-7 win over Zetech Oaks. That result preserved their 100% record and secured top spot in Pool D.
Kenya Harlequin joined them in the last eight after holding off Catholic Monks 17-12 in a tense decider. Quins had earlier bounced back from an opening defeat to MMUST to beat Zetech Oaks, and their resilience paid off in the end.
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