All Saints relinquish rugby 15s gong

New rugby 15s champions will be crowned after last year’s winners All Saints Embu surrendered their trophy.

All Saints yesterday fumbled when it mattered most, losing to Kisii School 12-3 in the semi-final of the Brookside Secondary Schools National Term One games at Shimo La Tewa High School, Mombasa.

Kisii School who are eyeing their maiden national title are hoping to finally get it right after failing to make it happen for the past two years.

The Nyanza region champions will today clash with Western’s Vihiga Boys High School, who are also determined to bag their first-ever rugby 15s trophy.

Vihiga, who had a very successful 2024 season, winning silver at the nationals and crowning it all with the East Africa gong in rugby 7s are keen to excel in the long version of the game.

Vihiga triumphed over 2018 national and East Africa champions Upper Hill from Nairobi 10-8 to book their place in the final.

Upper Hill, who returned to the nationals after four years, had their hearts broken after failing to advance to the final.

All eyes will be on Kisii School as they fight to win the Nyanza region a national rugby 15s trophy that has eluded them for the past 19 years. St Mary’s Yala were the last school from the region to bag the trophy in 2003. Since then, the rugby 15s has been dominated by Western teams.

Matrix Matangi, who has been impressive throughout the championship, starred for Kisii to ensure they ended All Saints reign. Matangi staged a brilliant show with spot-on penalty kicks that would see his side destroy the opponents.

Kisii School coach Edwin Morara said they were expecting a tough encounter in the final.

“It is nice that we exacted revenge over All Saints, who beat us last year in Machakos. We want something bigger, and we will not rest until we accomplish our mission,” Morara said.

Vihiga, who eliminated former national champions St Peter’s Mumias at the Western region final, were the better side against Upper Hill.