Africa 24 Media Photography

Started in 2003 as a competition meant to seek for raw talent, groom the future of rugby players and make Kenya a respectable figure in 15 player version of rugby, the Bamburi Super Series is now an East African Rugby Union premier competition that draws the interest of 8 teams from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The tournament was originally sponsored by Unga Limited on its inception before UAP Insurance took over the sponsorship reigns a year later in 2004.

In 2005, Bamburi Cement Limited, took over and has been sponsoring the tournament since. The competition initially involved 5 Kenyan teams. However, the 2008 competition marked a turning point witnessing the inclusion of two Ugandan and one Tanzania team into the competition. In total, there are eight franchises; Lions, Rhinos, Sharks, Cheetahs and Buffaloes from Kenya, Rwenzori and Victoria from Uganda and Twigas from Tanzania. The Rhinos have won the competition 3 times in 2003, 2007 and 2009, the Cheetahs twice in 2004 and 2006 while the Lions won it once in 2008. The elite 15-aside competition has earned reputation for its athletic, fast and strong players. In this year’s competition (2010), two teams from Kenya will lock horns as the SDV Transami Cheetahs square off with defending champions and three-time winners, UAP Rhinos. The two dominant franchises earned the right to contest the finals after brushing aside their opponents with aplomb in wet and muddy conditions at the RFUEA grounds in Nairobi. Kenya’s SDV Transami Cheetahs thumped Kampala Coach Rhinos from Uganda 20-3, thanks to tries from fly half Nato Simiyu, back row Kevin Umbuge, and Kevin Gisore, and a successful conversion from scrum half Mike Mugo who also scored a penalty. Cheetahs Assistant Coach Mark Cole attributed his side’s win to dominant possession and converting the chances that came their way. In the second semi-final, defending champions UAP Rhinos moved to within eighty minutes of becoming the first team in BRSS history to successfully defend their title with a hard fought 17-5 win over 2008 winners, Lions. Whilst the first semi-final could have been rightly accused of starting on a pedestrian note, the Rhinos versus Lions affair got off to a flying start, with Howard Okwemba’s Lions applying the early pressure. But when the Rhinos began to assert themselves, it took only ten minutes before they recorded points on the scoreboard courtesy of David Ambunya’s touch down. Peter Abuoga missed the conversion but it was 5-0 in favour of the defending champions. It didn’t take long though for Lions to level. A cheeky penalty by Peter Mutai was followed by Benjamin Otieno who touched down to level the scores. Mutai then missed the conversion. A blow for blow moment then followed, but with no franchise showing the cutting edge, they went for half time with scores at 5-5. In the second half, the Rhinos proved to be more offensive, throwing everything at their opponents who found themselves 12-5 behind seven minutes into the second half. And inspite of dominating large spells of the second half, it was not the Lion’s day as a Peter Abuoga touch down roared the Rhinos into the final on a 17-5 win. Standing in the way of the defending champions and history are the SDV Transami Cheetahs. The final kicks off on Saturday 22nd May.

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