Defending champions KCB RFC may have booked their place in the Main Cup quarter-finals at the Dala 7s, but Kenya Sevens star George Ooro believes the SportPesa National 7s Circuit leaders have already been handed a timely reminder that there are no easy fixtures on the circuit.
The bankers, who arrived in Kisumu fresh from lifting the Prinsloo 7s title in Nakuru, were pushed all the way by MMUST RFC in their final Pool A clash before salvaging a dramatic 19-19 draw.
Ooro crossed over late to score the crucial equalising try as KCB escaped with a share of the spoils after being forced to dig deep against the determined students.
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Although KCB finished the pool stage unbeaten with two victories and a draw, Ooro admitted the performance served as a wake-up call ahead of the knockout rounds.
“Sevens is a game of taking your chances. The moment you switch off, you get punished,” said Ooro.
“I think at times we approached the game thinking it would be straightforward ; that we would simply step onto the pitch, win and move on. MMUST showed us that every team is here to compete. We’ve learned an important lesson heading into the quarter-finals because there are no easy matches. Everyone wants to beat KCB.”
The Kenya Sevens playmaker felt the draw was less about physicality and more about KCB’s execution in key moments, particularly after losing possession.
“It came down to concentration,” he explained.
“We had too many knock-ons and our awareness in transition wasn’t good enough. In contact situations and game management I believe we were on top, but whenever we turned over possession, MMUST reacted well and punished us. That’s an area we have to improve.”
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For the first time this season, KCB failed to complete a perfect pool campaign, having dropped points in the draw while also conceding tries throughout the opening day. While Ooro insisted there is no reason to panic, he acknowledged the standards expected of the defending champions leave little room for complacency.
“It’s not something to panic about, but it’s definitely something we must pay attention to,” he said.
“We’re here to defend our title, not just to participate. Every team has come to Kisumu believing it can win this tournament, so naturally every match becomes tougher for us. We’ll keep working, keep improving and hopefully we’ll lift the trophy again.”
KCB’s squad has been further strengthened by the arrival of a number of Kenya Sevens internationals, including recent signing Nygel Amaitsa, who has joined his national teammate Ooro at the Ruaraka-based club.
According to Ooro, the experience such players bring has been invaluable in high-pressure situations.
“They bring so much to the team,” he said.
“It’s not all just about talent. They bring leadership, maturity and awareness. Those qualities become crucial in tight matches, especially when there are only a few seconds left and everyone knows exactly what needs to be done to create or finish a scoring opportunity.”
With KCB wearing the target on their backs after winning the opening leg of the circuit, Ooro admitted pressure comes with being the team every opponent wants to beat. However, he remains confident that the experience within the squad will help the bankers navigate the difficult path ahead.
“There’s always pressure when you’re the defending champions because every team raises its level against you,” he noted.
“The biggest challenge is facing teams that have nothing to lose, while for us every game feels like a must-win. That’s the pressure we have to manage. Fortunately, we have a mature squad with good awareness, plenty of skill and outstanding personnel. If we stay composed and execute our game plan, we’ll give ourselves every chance of retaining the title.”
Having survived an early scare in the pool stage, KCB now head into the Main Cup quarter-finals knowing the margins in sevens rugby are razor-thin.
Their title defence remains alive, but as Ooro admitted, every opponent is eager to knock the champions off their perch, meaning the bankers will need to find another gear if they are to leave Kisumu with back-to-back circuit titles.