Kakamega High School on Saturday beat Laiser Hill 18-14 to be crowned this year’s Brookside National Secondary School Term One 15s rugby champions at Nairobi School. It was Kakamega’s first title since 2013, and their seventh overall. The Barbarians touched down twice, one conversion and two penalties against Laiser Hill’s two converted tries. In the play-off, Upper Hill secured third spot after a 12-3 win over 2004 champions St Mary’s Yala. Kakamega’s success saw them avenge their 10-8 loss to Laiser earlier in the competition and the win delighted the team’s coach Amos Wamanga.

“It was a very difficult final. We had a good start, managing to keep them at bay and then used our wingers well. They came back stronger in the second half but we managed to soak in the pressure. It feels good to be champions once again,” Wamanga told Nation Sport. Kakamega, who are also the East African champions, led 15-7 at half time, having raced to a 15-0 lead at one point.

They endured some serious pressure in the second half as the Kevin Wambua-coached Laiser Hill hit back to trail by a point at 15-14, before centre back Derrick Ashiundu drove in a penalty to put the game to bed. Ashiundu gave his side the lead in the sixth minute through a pin-point penalty conversion making it 3-0 as both sides struggled to settle in the match.

 NUMERICAL ADVANTAGE

 Laiser Hill's open side flanker Christopher Asira was sin-binned on 15 minutes and Kakamega made use of the numerical advantage to extend their lead to 15-0. Fourth five seconds after Asira’s ejection, tight head Charkes Omulako powered through the Laiser defence before Asiundu converted. Minutes later Kevin Imani made use of his physical strength to cross the try line. Asira returned and Laiser would mount a comeback into the match as John Bruce escaped tackles to barge over after a quickly taken penalty with Johnstone Olindi converting. Laiser pinned back Kakamega in the second half as they went in search of more points to level the match. Skipper Joel Inzuga escaped two Kakamega defenders before squeezing in the try and Olindi converted once again.

The momentum swung to Laiser Hill and they continued to press for the winning try but it was Kakamega who had the last laugh as Ashiundu kicked the penalty and his side held on for the narrow win.