Menengai Oilers' Samuel Mwaura prepares to pass the ball during a recent match against KCB /HANDOUT
Menengai Oilers sevens coach Geoffrey Ominde believes improvements in defence and set-piece execution will be crucial as the Nakuru-based side seeks a second National Sevens Circuit title.
After a disappointing campaign in the 15s game, where the Oilers exited the Kenya Cup playoffs at the quarter-final stage to Nondescripts and also fell to Kabras Sugar in the Enterprise Cup, the club has shifted its focus to the shorter format.
Ominde’s charges finished third overall in last season’s National Sevens Circuit standings with 94 points, 31 behind champions KCB. Their best performance came at the Christie Sevens, where they reached the final before losing 19-5 to KCB.
Oilers also finished third at the Embu Sevens after thrashing Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) 31-0 in the third-place playoff. They placed fourth at both the Dala Sevens and Prinsloo Sevens, while managing a fifth-place finish at the Driftwood Sevens.
Ominde revealed that the team has already commenced preparations for the upcoming circuit, with a strong emphasis on correcting the shortcomings that denied them the title last season. “We came up short last season, getting to one final, so we will structure our training to ensure we improve in our defence and variation in attack, as well as ensuring we start the season strongly,” said Ominde.
The former fly-half added that tactical discipline and integrating young players into the squad will be key components of their strategy during the six-leg series. “We will give youth a chance to showcase their talent but at the same time come up with new plays and show our quality,” he added. Ominde remained non-committal on whether Oilers would participate in any build-up tournaments before the circuit begins on July 26.
“We are yet to decide which tournament we will play, but once we scale up our training heading into July, we will play a tournament or two,” he said. The tactician is expected to rely on Kenya Sevens internationals John Okoth and Dennis Abukuse, Beldad Ogeta, Samuel Ovwamu, Amos Obae and Daniel Kipchirchir, among others.
The 2026 National Sevens Circuit will kick off with the Prinsloo Sevens in Nakuru on July 26-27 before moving to Kisumu for the Dala Sevens on August 1-2. The series will then head to Nairobi for the George Mwangi Memorial Kabeberi Sevens on August 15-16 before shifting to Mombasa for the Driftwood Sevens on August 22-23.
The battle for circuit honours will continue at the Embu Sevens on September 5-6 before concluding with the Christie Sevens in Nairobi on September 12-13.
