Kabras Sugar RFC were crowned champions of the 36th Driftwood 7s on Sunday after coming from behind to defeat defending champions KCB Rugby 15-5 in a thrilling final at the Mombasa Sports Club.
KCB, chasing back-to-back Driftwood titles, took the lead in the final minute of the first half through a Festus Shiasi try, to lead 5-0 at the break. However, Kabras responded with three unanswered tries in the second half to overturn the deficit, dethrone the champions and lift the trophy.
Kabras assistant coach Ntabeni Outusa said the squad had carried the disappointment of their Kabeberi 7s campaign into the coastal tournament and was pleased with how the players responded under pressure to secure the title.
KCB head coach Andrew Omonde congratulated Kabras on their victory, describing the defeat as a wake-up call for his side as they regroup ahead of the remaining circuit legs.
Kabras’ route to the final began with a commanding 27-5 quarterfinal victory over Uganda 7s. Jackson Siketi, Rayvon Ambale, who scored twice, Kevin Wekesa and Griffin Chao crossed the whitewash as Kabras booked a place in the last four.
KCB Rugby also progressed in style in the quarterfinals, defeating Nondescripts to set up a semi-final meeting with Menengai Oilers, a side they had already faced twice earlier in the season.
Daystar Falcons reached their first semi-final of the campaign after overcoming pool-topping debutants NYS Spades in the quarterfinals, ending the newly promoted side’s unbeaten run in the tournament.
Menengai Oilers completed the semi-final line-up with a quarterfinal victory of their own, maintaining the form that had already produced a perfect pool-stage record.
The semi-finals produced the tightest contests of the day. KCB needed sudden death to defeat Menengai Oilers 10-5, while Kabras cruised into the final after beating Daystar Falcons 19-0.
With their hopes of reaching the final over, Daystar Falcons and Menengai Oilers met in the third-place playoff. The Falcons closed out their tournament with a 21-5 victory to finish third overall.
Uganda 7s, the invited guest side making its first Driftwood appearance since 2013, staged a comeback to beat Nondescripts 19-14 in the fifth-place playoff, capping an impressive return to the coastal tournament.
In the Division Two competition, Zetech Oaks were the standout side, routing Stallions Rugby 33-7 in the final to lift the second-tier title.
The tournament also confirmed relegation from the top flight for Mombasa Sports Club, Kilifi RFC, Strathmore Leos and Kisumu RFC. The four clubs will now require an invitation to feature at Division One level during the next circuit leg.
Tournament sponsors SportPesa, through brand representative Mercy Kagui, described the weekend as an amazing competition and confirmed that the circuit’s sponsorship package had doubled from Sh16 million to Sh32 million this season.
The victory marked a strong response from Kabras after their earlier disappointment and underlined their growing consistency in the national sevens circuit. Their disciplined second-half display proved decisive, as the Western Kenya side kept KCB under pressure and controlled possession to complete a memorable, well-deserved comeback victory.
Attention now turns to the Embu 7s, the fifth leg of the 2026 National Sevens Circuit, scheduled for August 26.
By Joan Kinuthia
