NAIROBI, Kenya, October 26, 2025 – Strathmore Leos may have bowed out of the Impala Floodlit with a narrow loss to Nondies but their fighting display left plenty to admire and build on.
Despite being reduced to 14 men in the second half, the students refused to crumble, staging a late surge that had the Red Lions on the ropes in the dying minutes.
Head coach Willis Ojal hailed his side’s character and commitment, insisting the performance was a glimpse of the team’s growing maturity.
“You can’t take it away from the boys. We were 14 men and still had them under pressure in the closing minutes. That mental attitude to want to win is a big positive for us,” Ojal said.
The Leos’ undoing came from a few costly errors, with all of Nondies’ tries stemming from mistakes in possession or defensive lapses, something Ojal says they will quickly address.
“If you notice, all their tries were from our mistakes. But that’s the beauty about sport, you get another chance, and hopefully we’ll rectify that in the coming week,” he added.
Fresh from a strong showing in the National Sevens Circuit (NSC), Leos’ young side showed flashes of their expansive attacking game, with substitutes adding valuable energy off the bench.
The tournament, Ojal explained, is more than just a warm-up; it’s a chance to give players exposure and build a winning culture ahead of the new 15s season.
“Our target is clear, we want to make the Kenya Cup play-offs. It’s about progression, learning from last season and ticking the right boxes as we grow,” Ojal noted.
While the result went against them, their spirited display underlined their evolution into a side capable of challenging Kenya’s rugby elite and one that will be eager to roar even louder when the Kenya Cup season begins.
