South Coast Pirates RFC forward and long-serving servant of the game, Cliphod Odhiambo, has officially announced his retirement from active rugby after a distinguished 12-year career with the Diani based club.
Odhiambo, fondly known among teammates and fans as Nyoka, leaves behind a legacy built on resilience, leadership, and dedication. Having joined Pirates as a teenager, he rose through the ranks to become one of the most influential figures in the squad, both on and off the field.
His decorated journey includes captaining Kaya Tiwi Secondary School to two consecutive National 7s appearances in 2017 and 2018, a remarkable feat that highlighted his early leadership qualities. With Pirates, Odhiambo played a pivotal role in the club’s golden moments, notably finishing as runners-up at the 2019 Christie’s Sevens division two.
In 2022, he captained South Coast Pirates at the National Sevens Circuit (NSC), where the team scooped the prestigious Team Spirit Award overall. Most recently, Odhiambo was part of the squad that clinched the 2023/24 KRU Championship title, securing a historic promotion to the Kenya Cup for the first time in the club’s history.
At only 27 years old, Cliphod is stepping away from competitive rugby but not from the Pirates family. Two5four Sports can exclusively reveal that Odhiambo is highly set to take over as the Team Manager, a role he has been serving in an interim capacity for the past three months.
Alongside this, he will also continue representing the players’ interests as a Player Representative within the club’s management.
Speaking on his retirement, Odhiambo expressed gratitude to the club, fans, and teammates for their support throughout his journey, while affirming his commitment to serve the Pirates in his new capacity.
South Coast Pirates RFC, in celebrating his career, described Odhiambo as “a true servant, leader, and warrior whose contribution both on and off the pitch will forever remain part of the club’s history.”
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