Sadili Rugby In First Safari Sevens Appearance

On Thursday 19th September 2013, Sadili Oval Rugby Under 14 Team took part at the Safaricom Rugby Sevens at Moi Sports Center ,Kasarani. Our first match was against KCB Rugby Academy u 14 on which we played and lost 5 tries to nil (35-0). Our second match was against Mombasa Rugby Academy on which we lost 17-12 after Mombasa scored a try in extra time. Since the format was a double elimination format we were therefore eliminated from the tournament but we finished 6th out of  8 teams.

The team had a great experience and exposure to top flight rugby and the boys played their best, in what will be a giant step in their development as individuals and as a team.

We give thanks for Sadili Oval, French School, French embassy, Coach Frank Isiaho and David Orato for their support.

Sadili names U14 team for Safaricom 7s

Sadili will for the first time, participate in the Safaricom Sevens, with 12 players aged between       and      years this Thursday 19th September 2013. The team has been training under dedicated coach and student athlete from Nairobi University medical student, Francis Isiaho. Isiaho was recently joined by Coach Dave Orato to make the youthful team

The following are the players:

NAMES OF PLAYERS FOR SAFARICOM SEVENS 2013

NO	NAME	DATE OF BIRTH
1.	FRED ABUKUTSE	6TH JUNE 1999
2.	BRIAN ANGOTE	14TH MAY 2000
3.	CLINTON AKEYO	17TH APRIL 2002
4	DAVID OKOMBO	3RD OCTOBER 1998
5.	DELVIN OCHIENG	1ST SEPTEMBER 2002
6.	MICHAEL OCHIENG	27TH JUNE 1999
7.	OLIVER MUDAKI	19TH SEPTEMBER 1998
8.	STEPHEN LITALI	19TH JULY 2002
9.	STEPHEN ONYANGO	27TH SEPTEMBER 2001
10.	BRIAN OMUKAGA	6TH JUNE 1999
11.	HAMES OKOTH	4TH OCTOBER 1999
12.	DELVIN OCHIENG	1ST SEPTEMBER 1999

Sadili Oval Sports Academy partnersred successfully with the French Embassy in Nairobi to set up a Rugby School, and this is the result. 

Sadili Rugby Lifts Obelix Bowl

Sadili Rugby Academy shocked and left many struggling to collect their jaws last Saturday during the

Obelix sevens staged at the Braeburn Garden estate school, Nairobi. The team comprised of junior players from Kibera of average age of 14, managed to post scores which many former Kenya Sevens players and rugby fanatics present at the venue lauded. Pool stages In the pool stage, the team took off to a flying start with a 3-0 thrashing of Red Land Roses 1. The second match however took a different turn for the team when they lost a narrow 3-2 to Naivasha nuts, a match which was filled with emotional jibe from the Nuts players who were trailing 2-0 by half time. It is considerate to state that the players were a little immature in containing the Nuts’ mental play; something that will surely propagate in them as they grow in the sport. In the last match of the pool stages, the boys managed to put up a spirited fight against Les Gaulois 1, a team comprised of current Kenya Cup players and seasoned French Rugby Expatriates, never looking down even when they encountered a humbling 5-0 loss. It is important however to note the ingenuity of the youngest players in the team; Brian Angote and Michael Ochieng who stepped up on defense and worked to orchestrate a series of fluid attack moves only to be caught at the edge of the area. Cup stages Meeting the Kenyan based British Army Rugby Team in a bowl semi final pairing was obviously a mean feat. But the boys didn’t even have a clue of who the british army were and I believe this mentality carried the team forward to winning 2-0. A Bowl Finals pairing against Red Land Roses 2 would be an easier task to accomplish, the final score 2-0 with George Ondondo (15) and Michael Ochieng (13) touching down for the winning tries. Players showing promise The event not only exposed the current top cream Sadili Rugby Players to top flight rugby competition but also created a possible opportunity for boot sponsorship from Red Land Roses.
Special thanks Special thanks go to Sadili Rugby Academy, the French embassy and Les Gaulois for facilitating the team’s participation in the event. -- FRANCIS ISIAHO MUHANJI

Sadili Bids Fond Goodbye To Rugby Coach Jérôme Alfonsi

Today, we say a fond farewell to Jérôme Alfonsi, with a small rugby training session. 

We have known Jérôme for the last three years as an amazing rugby coach and a friend of children. He has, in the time that he has been in Kenya, changed the platform for junior rugby, initially at the French School and at Sadili Oval, ensuring that our fledging program and partnership grows into the country’s first Rugby School for children and youth of 16 years and below.

Jérôme has also been involved closely in seeking the support of the Embassy of France in Kenya, to develop a sustainable junior rugby program, incorporating poor children from the Kibera slums to train at Sadili’s Rugby School. He has also been a close mentor of Francis Isiaho and David Orato, preparing them to become excellent youth coaches. It is expected that this vibrant program will act as a feeder for the national rugby leagues as well as the national team.

Jérôme has encouraged partnerships and personally taken time to help organize day camps between French and Kenyan nationals, including Sadili, French School, Les Gaulois and Grenoble University team.

Sadili Oval News: THE GOOD, THE HOPEFUL AND THE WISH LIST

Sadili Oval News: THE GOOD, THE HOPEFUL AND THE WISH LIST

French Open First Rugby School in Kenya at Sadili

Sadili Oval Sports Academy was the center of interest when a high profile team of leadersKenyan and French leaders launched Kenya's first Rugby School.

 

The project, which was launched by the French Ambassador in Kenya, His Excellency, Etienne Poncin, is expected to train young boys and girls at the junior level, up to 16 years. The French Embassy supported the improvement of the Sadili rugby pitch, including lights and changing rooms and the training of community rugby coaches, to the tune of Kshs. 2million. The Ambassador said that his country will continue to work with Sadili Oval in the development of sports amongst underprivileged youth, stating that he was satisfied that the funding was utilized well.

In attendance at the occasion were the MP for Langata, Joash Olum and his counterpart for Kibra Constituency, Hon. Kenneth Okoth, who welcomed the partnership, and committed to supporting the project further. Joash Olum further used the opportunity to inform the press that Sadili Oval and Malezi School would soon launch the region's first sports school, that would embrace any sports, and every effort would be made to support this development to improve the livelihoods of the youth, many of whom could benefit financially for the sport.

The Chairman of the Kenya Rugby Football Union, Mr. Mwangi Muthee, re-itereated the comittment of his Union to partnering with Sadili Oval, and, saying that he continues to be impressed with the effort that the organization has been making towards the development of rugby in the last 20 years, he said that the KRFU would support Sadili in every way possible to join Upperhill School in Nairobi, as part of their select centres of excellence. He also challenged the MP for Langata to help Sadili seek even more space to extend their pitches to accommodate international matches and training.

On behalf of the Ministry of Youth and Sport, the Commissioner of Sports Mr. Gordon Oluoch sent a special message congratulations to Sadili Oval and partner French Embassy, for launching the first sports school in Kenya, confirming the government's comittment to supporting new and improved systems that will prepare the youth for a great future.

Joint Training: French School & Sadili Oval

On Friday 10^th January 2013 and Saturday the 11^th January, the French school Lycee Denis Diderot and Kibera’s Sadili Oval Rugby Academy came together in a clinic that would turn out to be not only exciting but also very informative. The clinic which started at 2pm and ended at 4pm is a series of more to come and was run by coaches Jerome Alfonsi a sports teacher at Lycee with a passion for junior rugby, David Orato a core rugby player with Impala Rfc and Muhanji Isiaho current junior rugby coach Sadili Rugby and a student at the UoN.

Key elements of the clinic sought to teach players on an often neglected skill of evasive running. With systems having changed over the years and most players opting for the strength dependent type of play, coaches at the clinic prepared a different mix of drills to enlighten players on the need to avoid injury due to contact. It was also within the drills that players learnt the reason for contact as the final resort when looking at possibilities of gaining ground.

The ruck is an important feature of rugby. It sets the platform for a new line of attack and creates time for the attacking halfbacks to conjure up new ideas for their running teammates. Coach Jerome worked with the under 15s to ensure the correct body positioning and ball delivery at the ruck.

French expatriates Les Gaulois led by Jerome visited the academy on Saturday. They not only trained amongst themselves but also taught a couple of the beginners how to pass and catch the ball, which is a very important aspect of the game. Special thanks are extended to them for having provided the players with lunch.

Sadili Oval News: 4 November 2011 First Rugby School Opens In Nairobi

Sadili Oval News: 4 November 2011 First Rugby School Opens In Nairobi