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Photo : Samurai 7s players celebrating after being crowned Safari 7s champions.
Samurai Players met for the first time on 29th September 2015. Coach Mike Friday and Nick Wakley had two days of training session which was on Wednesday and Thursday with their team. Samurai had their final training session on Friday.
On their way to the final, Samurai beat Uganda 7s 33-0 in their first pool match before overcoming Kenya Morans 29-12 in their second pool match.
Zimbabwe 7s beat Samurai 7s 5-17 in the last pool C match. The result meant Samurai top Pool C as Zimbabwe 7s leapfrogged Kenya Morans to settle at second place. Uganda had a bad outing which left them rock bottom at the pool standings.
Samurai easily dispatched England Saxons 40-7 in the cup quarter final before overcoming South Africa’s Western Province 19-21 in the cup semi finals.
Kenya rugby fans were eagerly waiting for a Mike Friday versus Benjamin Ayimba match and it could not come better as a cup final.
There was no better side between the two as both applied pressure to each other’s defense in both halves.
Samurai took a 5-0 lead in the fast half after a series of exchanges between the two sides.
Pressure was building up in Shujaa’s technical bench and the fans in the stadium as things went from bad to worse when Samurai extended their lead to 10-0.
Kenya 7s captain, Andrew Amonde reduced the points difference with a try and Nondies’ fly half added the extras.
Augustine Lugonzo sprinted to the try box, just below the posts and Biko Adema drilled home the conversion. The scoreboard at half time read 14-10 in favor of Shujaa.
Photo: Lugonzo on his way to the try box.
Shujaa came back from where they left. Frank Wanyama who was outstanding throughout the tournament, extended Shujaa’s lead to 19-10.
Photo: Frank Wanyama celebrating after going over the whitewash for Shujaa against Samurai in the Safari 7s final.
Shujaa finally succumbed to Samurai7s’ pressure and conceded two late tries in the dying moments of the Safari 7s cup final. Samurai won 19-20 to lift the Safari 7s title.
Samurai 7s had three Kenyans; Oscar Ouma, Sammy Oliech, Cyprian Kuto and Felix Ayange.