Saturday Nation, November 24, 2001 S·P·O·r·t·S 'A concerted 15-a-side rugby campaign seems to have taken precedence'

Photos/Chris Omollo Left: Members of the Cameroon national rugby team upon arrival in Nairobi on Wednesday ahead of today's World Cup qualifier against Kenya at the RFUEA ground. Inset, above: Kenyan international Paul Murunga lines up a conversion during a national team training session. Kenya take on Cameroon at RFUEA

ByOYUNGAPALA ing rugby riorate at a So it becomes evident that rugby is thoroughly nations. rather disturb­ malnourished. Kenya's inclu­ ing rate, quite A good chunk of the corporate sector money sion into the goes soccer. he dust has barely settled after a disap­ unlike the sev­ Super Six would The sector is not willing to invest in rugby partly pointing performance against Mada­ ens. have guaranteed As recently as because the sport is unlikely to pay dividends in gascar, and now the Kenyan team finds the national 1987. Kenya was terms of following. itself in the spotlight once again. team at least ten in a position to Your average top-billed rugby encounter draws Although Kenya's World Cup cam­ high calibre give the likes of something between 4,000 and 6,000 people, the paignT may be over, the quest for a concerted 15-a­ games in a year Zimbabwe a kind of crowd you would find at a second division side rugby campaign appears to have taken prece­ and certainly decent game. soccer game. dence finally. raised the pro­ The circum­ Cricket doesn't draw enviable crowds. even when Kenya's almost certain qualification to the third file of the game stances have the West Indies is in town, but they still draw the round of the qualifiers, where they were set to meet locally. As it is drastically sponsorship. the chance was The Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) the likes of Zimbabwe and Namibia, was arrested changed. lost. Money president Ahmad Belkhiria has stated publicly that uncharacteristically by a highly underrated Mada­ Not much is appears to be an the confederation is committed to heavy develop­ gascar in Antananarivo. know about Benjamin Ayimba: Captain Charles Cardovillis: Centre issue and con­ ment of rugby in Africa. Les makis as they are known to their local fans, Cameroon other tinues to be a The Super Six is a good sign and possibly a sec­ held up strongly against Kenya's late rally to win a than the fact major obstacle ond tier to cater for the likes of Kenya is needed. crucial encounter 20-27. that their main strength is in their big forwards. to the development of the game. The International Rugby Board has only been Kenya found they had to play mathematics, pray­ They have played three games, won two and lost Team manager Godwin Karuga attests: ··our offering grants for competitions and providing ing that Madagascar would falter in Cameroon, one against Madagascar. financial situation isn't likely to change overnight." development managers. thereby according them a chance to make amends Coach Ken Thimba is under no illusions about Kenya has played less than ten international Save for South Africa, most African countries what to expect from the West Africans today: "We are not capable of raising their own funding. by beating the West Africans at home in today's games in a decade and only two of these have been are looking to capitalize on our overall athleticism. played away from home. The IRB been forced to change its attitude. match. The fact that Cameroon has conceded 54 points in Fred Ollows, Kenya Rugby Football Union's It wasn't to be. Madagascar triumphed and by three games is a point the Kenyans are hoping to development officer, attributes the crunch to the Rugby has potential extension became the sixth nation in the Super Six take advantage of.'' economic recession. replacing the South Africa's under-23 which has "In nations around the world, the corporate sec­ The KRFU has to take the initiative to clear the proved to strong for the group contenders. Captain taking it seriously tor is the main backer of sport. Our corporate sec­ first hurdle by marketing the game more vigorously tor is in a slump and they would rather channel and keeping the players motivated. Six nations tournament Kenyan captain Benjamin Ayimba is taking the their resources to more lucrative ventures." Matters that pertain to allowances should never encounter rather seriouslv and the national team To finance six tours in a year in Africa- one very be allowed to degenerate into wrangles. The six nations tourney- involving Cote D'Ivoire, has been training for close to two months in prepa­ two months- the KRFU requires an average of The Kenya Cricket Association bas done a lot for Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tunisia and Zim­ ration for this encounter. Sh2.5 million per tour. cricket, its problems notwithstanding. babwe- was reduced to a two pool tourney, with "It will improve our rankings and it will go out as KRFU struggles to raise 2.75 million that is Rugby has exactly the same potential. the winners of the pools meeting in a final. a gesture of commitment to uplift our rugby," required to run the domestic league per annum. The game has to be sold and repackaged to gen­ The pools are divided with Cote D'Ivoire, Ayimba says. Contrast that to cricket that receives anything from erate mass and corporate appeal. Morocco, Tunisia in the Northern division and The importance of today's result could be the between Sh14 to Sh28 million depending on the The annual Safari Sevens· success is clear testi­ amibia, South Africa under-23 and Zimbabwe in turning point in Kenyan rugby. just like the win demands of the season. mony to what sound strategies can lead to. the Southern di vision. against amibia in the 1999 World sevens qualifiers Further revenue is generated through television Today, however, Kenyans should tum out to The inaugural winners of the competition were opened a new chapter for sevens rugby. rights and special funds are set a side for tours. cheer their national team. South Africa's under-23s who defeated Morocco in It -will gauge the sincerity of the players and the The Kenya Football Federation spends an aver­ The Kenyan under-21 will play against their the final. administrators. age of Sh40 million a year on the Premier league Ugandan counterparts in a curtain raiser at the Games are played on a home and away basis and Despite its emiable history. over the last decade while the National Youth Soccer Development Pro­ KRFU grounds on gong Road followed by the big it is the closest thing to a Test series for the emerg- we have seen the standards of 15-a-side rugby dete- gramme's grant is at about Sh20 million a year. clash from about 4 pm. Good Luck Kenya!