By the late 1990s , Impala RFC were emerging as a
force in Kenya rugby
Saint Marys school were the dominant school in Kenya rugby throughout the 1990s
Kenya players pictured here before the 1997 rugby world cup qualifier against Arabian Gulf whom Kenya beat 37-18
Kenya players in action against the Arabian Gulf in 1997
Team Kenya for the 1997 world cup qualifiers
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In the late 1990s Shaka Kwatch was a mainstay for Nondescripts and the Kenya sevens team but was controversially left out of the 2001 Rugby sevens world cup team
Richard Coate was the Nondescripts captain through much of the early 1990s
Mean Machines decline from a Kenya rugby power started in the late 1990s
Kenya Harlequins during the 1990s
The Mean Machine team of the early 1990s was one of the last to fly the Machine flag high
Arigi, then a Mean Machine supporter was the most famous rugby fan in Kenya during the 1990s. So famous that he was featured by BBC
Nondies sensational winger Marco Brighetti seen here taking on Egerton University also made a name for himself as a rally driver.
Edward Rombo became the first Kenyan to play professional rugby in the UK when he joined Leeds Rhinos , one of the top teams in Rugby league
When Edward Rombo joined Leeds RFC, he played alongside John Gallagher seen here passing the ball to Rombo. Gallagher had previously starred for the All Blacks at Full back and his decision to leave Union to play League was considered a spectacular coup for league.
The Kenya team that played Zimbabwe at the RFUEA grounds in 1985. Kenya lost narrowly 13-15. But they came very close to beating Zimbabwe for the first time but were stifled by biased officiating. The Zimabwe team was all white. The referee was also white. Fans perceived a racist bias from the referee throughout the game. When he dissallowed a last minute try by Kenya that would have won the game, tempers boiled over in the stands. After the game, a Kenya fan through a beer bottle at the referee knocking him in the head and seriously injuring him.
- FRONT (from left): P Ngoga, D Wakhomba, P Nderi, P Belsoi, M Mwituria, K Kamau, D Sakari, J Owino; MIDDLE: M Muniafu, E Mureithi, E Vitisia, A MUtere, T Oketch, J Yakas, E Ayodo; BACK: P Odhiambo, P Magunga, A Kibisu, A Mwenesi, M Otieno, J Ayoki, R Sehmi;
Absalom 'Bimbo" Mutere was a true rugby pioneer. He was one of the founder members of Mean Machine RFC and later a founder member at Mwamba RFC. He championed the cause of indigenous Kenyan players during a time when rugby in Kenya was run and dominated by British exptriates
This was the first ever Kenya rugby team. It was assembled in 1980. Note that all the players were products of Nairobi school or Lenana
| Kenya Rugby Gallery for 2013 |
| Kenya Rugby Galleries |