Strathmore Leos centre Patrick Kluivert believes his side has what it takes to mount a serious challenge for the Dala 7s title after overcoming an inconsistent start to book a place in the Cup quarter-finals in Kisumu.
The Leos arrived at the second leg of the SportPesa National Sevens Circuit eager to make amends after their disappointing Prinsloo 7s campaign, where they failed to defend their title and missed out on the knockout stages.
This time around, they showed greater resilience to progress from the pool phase and keep their title ambitions alive.
Strathmore’s journey to the last eight began with a tough 33-10 defeat to Kabras Sugar RFC, but the students responded in impressive fashion.
ALSO READ: SportPesa 7s 2026: Dala 7s main cup quarterfinals pairings confirmed
They bounced back with a convincing 33-19 victory over Nakuru RFC before rounding off the pool stage with a ruthless 53-0 demolition of Embu RFC to secure their quarter-final berth.
For Kluivert, the turnaround is evidence that the team learned valuable lessons from last weekend’s disappointment.
“We’ve had a good tournament so far. The guys have put in a great shift. In Prinsloo 7s we fell short and couldn’t make it to the quarters, so coming into this Dala 7s we had to work on what we didn’t do well in Prinsloo and hopefully we will make it to the final,” said Kluivert.
One of the major storylines of the tournament has been Kluivert’s return to Strathmore Leos after ending his stint with Kabras RFC last month.
The centre rejoined the club he considers home after a two-year spell with the Kakamega-based outfit. Kluivert joined Kabras in 2024 and featured in the Sportpesa National Sevens Circuit, helping the club reach the final before a long-term injury brought his campaign to an abrupt end.
ALSO READ: Big guns dominate Round 2 to seal Dala 7s quarter-final spots amid fierce pool wars
The injury ruled him out for the entire 2024/25 Kenya Cup season, forcing him to spend months on the sidelines. He eventually returned to competitive rugby during the 2025/26 campaign, coincidentally making his comeback against his former club, Strathmore Leos, before earning further appearances from the bench against Nakuru RFC and Kenya Harlequin.
His final appearance in Kabras colours came in the Enterprise Super Series defeat to Menengai Oilers, bringing his chapter with the Sugarmen to a close before sealing a return to Strathmore.
The reunion meant Kluivert came up against his former teammates in the opening pool match of the Dala 7s, a contest that ended in a 33-10 defeat for the Leos. Despite the loss, he believes the performance was more about his team’s mindset than Kabras’ quality.
“I think the players just didn’t put their mind in the game. That’s why Kabras hit us, but going forward we are prepared. The team has gelled and we are ready for any team,” he said.
ALSO READ: Surprise package Zetech Oaks shake up Dala 7s as quarterfinal picture takes shape
The back-to-back victories that followed underlined that response, with Strathmore looking increasingly confident in both attack and defence as the tournament progressed.
With the knockout rounds presenting no room for error, Kluivert insists the Leos are determined to stay focused on one match at a time.
“We will take one game at a time. We will win our first game definitely so that we proceed to the next game,” he said confidently.
The 24-year-old is equally delighted to be wearing the maroon jersey once again, saying the decision to return was driven by more than just rugby.
“Strathmore Leos is like home. I made the decision to come back here because there’s some differences between here and there, but I am happy to be here and to get some game time which will help me a lot,” he said.
Now back in familiar surroundings and with the Leos rediscovering their form, Kluivert is hopeful the side can turn its resurgence into silverware. Having recovered from their opening setback and built momentum with successive wins, Strathmore head into the knockout rounds believing they have the quality and confidence to go all the way in Kisumu.