NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 7 – Strathmore University Leos’ coach Louis Kisia says their match against his old club Mwamba RFC brought back nostalgic memories of times when he used to don the all-black jersey of the team.
Kisia watched as his charges gave out at the death, losing 27-20 at home to Kulabu courtesy of an injury-time try by Chrispine Onyango who took advantage of some slack ball-handling by the students to earn his team maximum points.
Kisia described the game as a bittersweet moment for him, noting that it was a good outing and an entertaining evening of topflight rugby.
“Anytime Leos play Mwamba, it is usually not personal…but tough because they are my mother club. I played there for 16 years before I transitioned into coaching. They (Mwamba) always want to get one over me and today they did just that. Yeah, it is always tough coming into action after the Christmas break,” Kisia said.
The coach congratulated their opponents and said that they will go back to the drawing board and improve on their weak aspects before they face Catholic University Monks in their next fixture.
“Like I said, it is always bittersweet. The last time we beat them and they were feeling the way I am feeling today. Today is their day and kudos to them. For us, we go back to the drawing board and improve on the areas that need improving before our next match,” he said.
At their Strathmore University Sports Complex, the students began the brighter of the two sides, courtesy of a Joseph Ayiro try, heading into the break leading 17-7.
Although Kulabu came back guns blazing in the second half to level the scores at 17-17, Leos remained relentless and surged ahead 20-17 thanks to a penalty kick.
However, their opponents levelled the scores through a similar fashion and from then on, it seemed the tie was headed for a stalemate before Onyango emerged with the winner.
Kisia noted that his charges’ concentration levels dropped in the last half, which opened a pathway for Mwamba back into the game.
“The forwards did not exert pressure the way I expected them to. In the first half, the gameplan worked very well but in the second half it is like we became slack. Knowing Mwamba and their tendency to come back strongly in the second half, if you are not alert then they will punish you,” he said.
The students lost three players during the mid-season transfer period including Clinton Khasai (Kenya Harlequin), Festus Shiasi (KCB) and Philemon Olang’ (Nondies).
Kisia, nonetheless, is optimistic that the remaining players are more than capable of filling the void left by their predecessors.
“Being a university side, we are always going to lose players because once they are done with their studies there is no use keeping them here in school. However, we have recruited well and also for the players who have departed, there are others who have been playing in the same position so it is not like we were fully dependent on one person,” he said.
