Safaricom 7s: Ghafla! ALL ACCESS
Safaricom Sevens is upon us again!!! And Ghafla! has an all access pass to the entire event. From the set up before the event, to the kick-off today, to the corporate area, to “Russia”, to the players themselves… Ghafla! is on the ground. But as we gather info from the field, we asked some of our rugby friends to let you all know what it is about Safari(com) Sevens. What’s all the hype. What’s all the noise.
So for this week we will be having a couple guest articles from Ghafla!’s friends in the rugby fraternity, in KRFUEA and the like.
*Check out our all access pre-game photo gallery here
To set us off, Paul Okong’o -from Kisumu Rugby Union- brings to you what Safari(com) Sevens means to all of us Kenyans.
(This is a guest article beginning here:)
What is the final score? No one knows. Each team is given a nil or nought score before each game. Some games end up in a shellacking or drubbing. If any team finishes with a nil score, some would say they do not deserve it -they sure did not work that hard to leave with a nil-.
Ghafla! entertainment group -originally Kenyan.lyrics.com- three years old. The Safaricom Sevens -initially Coca-Cola, then Tusker- 16 years old. Ghafla! and Rugby both congregate citizens of the world. They both evoke strong memories in the entertainment, social, and cultural spheres, albeit in different categories but actually quite similar.
This is the 16th edition of the Safari Sevens -Africa’s premier 7’s event. Since that opening stanza in July 1996, the event has grown from strength to strength. Last year the turnout was 23,000+. A SS record. Also, for the first time, the event was held at Nyayo Stadium. Away from the traditional Kenya Rugby Union Grounds.
The finest rugby players, coaches and adminstrators from all over the world have graced this great event…
- Waisale Serevi -the Fijian (dual wold cup winner 1997, 2005) widely acknowledged as the greatest 7’s player.
- Gordon Tiejens- the All Black-the most successful coach ever. Gordon has won all the Commonwealth games unbeaten -Kuala Lumpur-1998, Manchester 2001, Melbourne-2006 and Delhi-2010.
- Collin Charvis of Wales and the British Lions.
- The Springbok ‘Prince of Wing’s”-Bryan Habana.
- The ‘King of Biarittz’ -Serge Blanco- the Rolls Royce of Fullbacks.
Add to that a constellation of names, Collins Injera, Humphrey Kayange, Apolosi Satala, Villiane Satala, Richard Hill, Chester Willaims, Uli Schmidt, Naas Botha, Gavin Hastings and so many others and you truly have a world in union.
The Carnival atmosphere in Nairobi at the Sevens is truly amazing. At the inaugural event in 1996, Public School Wanderers played Zimbabwe in the final to the endless chants of ‘Lets Go Africa’. The support for the home team Kenya is always phenomenal. SS has truly grown. The challenge is now to make the event a true family gathering.
The School’s category, the veterans category to reminisce the good old days… It is all encompassing. And which self respecting rugby thespian finishes a conversation without mentioning the fairer sex? The women’s competition is equally riveting (The presence of Aberdeen Shikoyi will be greatly missed -April 2012, RIP.)
The year 2000 marked a special two in one (stood as both the usual SS and the Rugby World Cup qualifier). Shujaa came out the winner. Paul ‘Pablo’ Murunga scored a try against Namibia to take Kenya into her first World Cup. This stands to date as one of Kenya’s finest hours at SS.
The ultimate goal of the SS is to get admission into the the IRB series while at the same time ensuring that our fans have a great experience. That is why there was un upgrade to Nyayo Stadium -to place us on the same level as worlwide IRB series venues. The event however does not yet offer prize money.
May both these groups (Ghafla! and SS) grow in strength and stature to match some of the oldest (in rugby competition it is the Calcutta Cup -played between England and Scotland since 1871). Root for your team. Root for your own. I will be rooting for Kenya this weekend. I hope so will you.
Kind Regards,
Paul Okong’o.
