The 36th edition of the Driftwood 7s burst into life at Mombasa Sports Club on Saturday, with rain-soaked conditions providing an early test of character for teams chasing honours on the National Sevens Circuit.
Despite the wet weather, the opening round delivered plenty of action, with several sides making strong statements in their opening fixtures.
Kabras Sugar got their campaign off to a flying start after cruising past hosts Mombasa RFC 43-0, putting themselves among the early contenders for the Main Cup.
Nondies also enjoyed a convincing opening-round victory, overcoming Kenya Harlequin 17-5, while Uganda 7s impressed with a 27-14 win over Blak Blad.
Defending champions KCB RFC, continued their impressive form on the circuit with a 22-5 victory over Kisumu RFC as they began their Driftwood campaign with confidence.
Menengai Oilers were also among the winners, edging Nakuru RFC 14-7 in a closely contested encounter.
Daystar Falcons recorded a 19-10 victory over Kilifi, while MMUST produced one of the notable results of the opening round by beating Strathmore Leos 24-15.
The tightest contest of the opening round saw Mwamba RFC and NYS Spades play out a 5-5 draw, leaving both sides with everything to play for in their subsequent matches.
The drama intensified when the second round kicked off, with hosts Mombasa RFC recovering from their heavy defeat to Kabras to stun Kenya Harlequin 22-19.
The result eliminated the Quins from Main Cup contention and gave the home side a much-needed boost as they continued their campaign on home soil.
With the group-stage battles continuing, the race for the Driftwood 7s crown remains wide open, with the wet Mombasa conditions adding another layer of unpredictability to one of the circuit’s most anticipated legs.
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