Pioneer RFC will not take part in this weekend’s Dala 7s in Kisumu after confirming their withdrawal from the second leg of the 2026 National Sevens Circuit (NSC).
The team’s absence has been occasioned by ongoing school examinations and the upcoming Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Games, which will be held in Thika from July 31 to August 6.
A significant number of Pioneer players also feature for Kinale Girls, who qualified for the KSSSA National Rugby Sevens Championships and will be representing their school at the national games, making them unavailable for club duty.
Pioneer made their historic NSC debut at last weekend’s Prinsloo 7s in Nakuru, where they impressed with a fifth-place finish despite facing experienced opposition.
They opened their campaign with a 41-0 defeat to Kenya Harlequins before bouncing back to beat Northern Suburbs 15-0. A 20-0 loss to Kiambaa RFC denied them a place in the Cup knockout stages, but they ended the tournament on a high by defeating Northern Suburbs 19-5 in the fifth-place playoff.
Their withdrawal means the young side will shift its focus to academics and school rugby before returning to the National Sevens Circuit in the remaining legs of the competition.
English