Nairobi — With the countdown to this year's Safari Sevens well and truly on, Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chair Alexander 'Sasha' Mutai believes the success of the annual tournament will be pivotal to the country's hopes of hosting a World Rugby Sevens Series leg in the near future.
Mutai said the goal is to grow the tournament beyond its peak period during which it would attract tens of thousands of spectators.
"We want to get the Safari 7s back and actually surpass the levels that we had in 2013/14. It was a big tournament... we could attract close to 48,000 spectators on a weekend. We are looking to get back to those levels and even surpass them. With that is when we can tell World Rugby that we want to host a Sevens Series here and in Africa," Mutai said.
The chair said Kenya has shown itself able to host global rugby events, pointing to the Under 20 Barthes Cup and the World Under 20 Rugby competitions that were staged at the Nyayo National Stadium this year.
"We have hosted the World Under 20 Trophy successfully this year and World Rugby were very impressed despite the political issues that were in the country at that time. We also hosted the Barthes Cup earlier in the year so the capability of Kenya Rugby Union to host global events is well known and has exemplified by these two successful tournaments we have had this year," he explained.
Despite the lofty ambitions, Mutai is under no illusions about the amount of spadework required to realise this dream.
Top on the to-do list is the immediate return of the men's rugby 7s side to the HSBC World 7s Series as well as the qualification of their female counterparts to the top tier of the same competition.
He is nonetheless confident that it is only a matter of when and not if these targets will be achieved.
"First of all the 7s team has to qualify to get back into the World 7s series of which we are confident they will after their display at the Olympics qualifiers in Harare...as well as the Lionesses, we need to get them into the World 7s Series. It is a grand plan," Mutai said.
Also integral to Kenya hosting a leg of this prestigious competition is improving rugby infrastructures in the country - an agenda he revealed the union is already pursuing with several private investors.
"We are also looking to develop our stadia...probably...hopefully by 2026. So, that's a longer term plan (hosting the World Rugby 7s Series). We want to build our own...privately...and we have been talking to investors and they're quite interested in coming on board. We have had meetings with the government on the same because they have given us the land, so we are just formalising the paperwork," he said.
Safari is back!
The chair was speaking on Wednesday at the East African Breweries Limited (EABL) headquarters in Nairobi during the unveiling of a new partnership between KRU and Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL) for this Saturday's return leg of the Elgon Cup as well as the Safari Sevens.
The partnership will be executed through KBL's flagship beer brand, Tusker.
Mutai said the rekindling of the relationship between the two entities is a shot in the arm for the restoration and growth of Kenyan rugby beyond it's former glory.
"We are forever grateful for their continued support. The return of the Safari Sevens and the Victoria Cup represent a crucial step forward for rugby in Kenya. With the caliber of teams set to participate, we are all but assured of spectacular tournaments that will captivate the rugby fraternity," he said.
Speaking at the same time, KBL Managing Director Mark Ocitti said Kenyan rugby fits in with the firm's dedication towards elevating Kenyans to higher levels of success.
"Our investment signifies our unwavering dedication to the growth and development of rugby in Kenya, both in the present and the future. This partnership with KRU is a long-term one to restore Kenyan rugby to its former glory," Ocitti said.
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He assured rugby enthusiasts of unbridled entertainment on and off the pitch at both the Victoria Cup in Kisumu as well as the Safari 7s -- at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi.
"Our goal is to create memorable moments, both on and off the pitch, that will resonate with fans and players alike. We want everyone to feel the heartbeat of Kenyan rugby," he said.
Thus far, 18 teams have confirmed participation in the three-day tourney -- set for November 17-19 -- including Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Germany, Qatar, Samurai, Red Wailers, Apache, and Tropic 7s.
Kenya will be represented by three sides -- Shujaa, Morans, and KCB -- whereas the women's competition will feature two Kenya Lionesses squads, Uganda, TUKS Women, and Tropic 7s.
More teams are expected to register their participation.
