KRU LANDS SH 126 MILLION SPONSORSHIP DEAL FROM SPORTPESA

Head coach Jevon Groves is urging his team to use the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens next month to create a buzz around rugby in the city. The city's men delivered a series of compelling displays to reach the final of last week's Challenger Series leg in Uruguay, including beating series co-leaders Kenya in last four before being blown away by…

The HSBC Sevens Challenger Series 2024 - the men's and women's parity makeover of the World Rugby's international 7s series is about to kick off. From January till May, the best 12 men's and 12 women's teams will ascend to new levels of sports greatness. The burning question on everyone's mind? Who will win the golden ticket to the Grand Final in…

Specifically, there's a lot of excitement around the Dubai leg of the series due to its reputation for high-energy matches and enthusiastic crowds of sports fans. The Dubai stop is a key battleground for teams vying for the ultimate prize: a place in the Olympic Games Paris 2024. As the host country, France has automatically secured its spot. Other…

The National sevens team, Shujaa, experienced its fair share of ups and downs last season. Their story last year is a remarkable tale of resilience and revival in the world of rugby. Over the years, the team has experienced both the lows of defeat and the highs of success, showcasing the spirit of Kenyan rugby on the global stage. The Fall For…

National Sevens rugby team, Shujaa, jetted home to a heroic reception at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Monday night after their exploits at the Rugby Africa Sevens Cup in Harare, Zimbabwe. Just when almost everyone had given up on the team, the new-look tactical, energetic and youthful side restored Kenya's lost glory to reclaim the…

Shujaa holding a dummy cheques of Sh3 million gifted by President William Ruto on September 19, 2023 KENYA RUGBY/X President William Ruto has gifted the national rugby sevens team Shujaa Sh3 million for qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The cheque was presented to the champions during a breakfast meeting hosted by Sports Cabinet Secretary…

NAKURU, Kenya, Aug 2 - With the National Sevens Series returning after a break, Prinsloo 7s, which is the next stop has received a Ksh 1 million sponsorship from betting firm SportPesa. Dubbed the Prinsloo 7s, the tournament which is named after the honour of South African Pete Walter Prinsloo, this year's edition will run its 14th edition from…

National rugby sevens team, Shujaa, were painfully relegated from the World Rugby Sevens Series in May for the first time in 23 years. This was after losing 12-7 to Canada in the play-off final held at Twickenham Stadium in London. The heartbreaking loss sent Kenyan players, technical bench and the new federation officials back to the drawing…

SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri has revealed why they are yet to resume sponsoring multiple sporting disciplines as frequently as they used to a few years ago. The gaming company had grown in popularity in the 2010s decade, which allowed them to sponsor multiple sporting franchises both locally and internationally. In 2016, they sponsored the FKF…

Betting and gaming firm SportPesa has reaffirmed its commitment to support the national rugby sevens team Shujaa reclaim their'lost' pride and glory after being relegated from the HSBC World Rugby series. To help develop the talent locally as a feeder into the national team, SportPesa has taken up this year's rugby 7s circuit title sponsorship,…

The Internet is on fire with Kenyans expressing their anger after Kenya Sevens was relegated from the World Rugby Sevens on Sunday. Shujaa lost to Canada 12-7 in the relegation play-off final at the London Sevens. It will be the first time in 23 years that Kenya will be missing the World Rugby Sevens Series with no chance of invitation in some…

Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) is already planning ahead for the 2024 World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series if Kenya Sevens are relegated from the World Rugby Sevens Series. However, KRU Chairman Sasha Mutai is confident that Kenya Sevens will still put up a good show and win the relegation play-offs scheduled for this weekend during the London…

Betting firm SportPesa has unveiled a Sh126 million sponsorship deal for Kenya Sevens stretching for three years. The company's chief executive officer Ronald Karauri said the deal that takes up the team's front jerseys is specific for players' welfare. Karauri said that they will use Sh 42m annually as he set aside Sh 20m in bonuses for the…

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 15 - Financially ailing Shujaa have landed a mega shot in the arm after leading betting firm Sportpesa announced a return to sponsoring rugby, with a Sh126mn three-year deal for the national sevens team. The team had been going through tough financial times and the start of the season was characterized with players stretching…

Betting firm, SportPesa are back in rugby. The firm's Chief Executive officer Robert Karauri has confirmed the new development on Friday as they presented Kenya Sevens rugby team with a new kit ahead of Cape Town Sevens this weekend. "Yes, our partnership with rugby is back," said Karauri without explaining further. However, Kenya Rugby Union (KRU)…

Without a doubt, poor leadership, constant wrangling, mismanagement, embezzlement of funds within federations, and a lack of infrastructure have stymied the country's growth of sports. Football, athletics, rugby, volleyball, hockey, basketball, boxing, swimming, paralympics, and cricket all follow a similar script. There is currently little to…

The World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 begins with a men's event in Hong Kong, 4-6 November, and there is plenty to get excited about for this season. For starters, the top four finishers in both the men's and women's competitions will secure an automatic qualification berth for the Paris 2024 Olympics. In addition, there will be record numbers of legs…

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 23 - Record FKF Premier League champions Gor Mahia have re-ignited their relationship with betting firm SportPesa after the two entities signed a one-year deal worth Sh80mn renewable for two more years. K'Ogalo have been struggling over the past four seasons due to tough financial times, and have signed the partnership just less…

Former rugby Sevens coach Benjamin Ayimba's funeral will cost Sh2.7 million. The money will help foot the Sh1.7 million pending hospital bill and Sh1 million will go towards funeral expenses. His uncle Joseph Ayimba, and the family spokesperson, Oscar Osir, said he will be buried in two weeks. The family has asked for well-wishers to help ease the…

Kenyan rugby has taken some big strides forward in recent years, with the Shujaa reaching the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2009 and 2013, and qualifying for successive Olympic Games in 2016 and 2020. Naturally, these positive steps have made sport more popular in the country. Football and athletics are arguably the most followed…

Talk of success on pitch in Uganda rugby and just a handful of memories will spring up. The 2007 XVs African title in Madagascar is priceless and perhaps the dearest of them all. It's the big one because Test rugby is more adored than the shorter version - Sevens, thus explaining why it's easy to forget that Uganda won the Rugby Africa Cup Sevens…

With a springy bounce, Collins Injera, the new International Rugby Board Sevens World Series top try scorer barely attracts any attention off the pitch. This changes immediately he steps on the rugby pitch. Injera who scored 42 tries in the just concluded 2008/09 IRB Sevens World Series Season is a delight to watch. Every coach on the opposite end…

NAIROBI (Reuters) - A Kenyan online sports betting firm has canceled 600 million shillings ($5.80 million) in direct annual sponsorship for the country's main football league and other sports, after the government hiked taxes for such firms by more than four times. The government increased the tax rate on gross profits for sports betting firms,…

Six months ago, Safaricom, a leading mobile operator in Kenya, announced the in the East African country over claims of corruption and a lack of accountability. The affected federations were the athletics, football and rugby federation and at the time, Safaricom head, Bob Collymore was insistent that the unethical operation of financial management…