Mike Richard Andrews: Impala: Kenya Regiment: East Africa (2nd & 3rd) Tuskers (1962 & 1966): Scorpions RFC: Kenya 15’s: RFUEA Presidents 15’s: Kenya Central Province Rugby Football Union & 1966 Tuskers
‘Tough, durable, combative back row forward with engagement over two decades from his Duke of York School days, (today Lenana School), the dominant personality, leader and captain at Impala and East Africa Tusker’s, Impala’s answer to George Barbour, disc jockey and international music entrepreneur.
Mike was behind the music programme Sounds like hits on Voice of Kenya radio later renamed Kenya Broadcasting Corporation for many years.’ These are the sentiments of Kevin Lilis his colleague and captain at Impala, Scorpions, Kenya and East Africa.
As the war clouds began to billow again over a divided Europe, Mike Richard Andrews was born on 15/09/1938 in England. His family migrated to South Africa during World War II, where they lived for a number of years. ‘P.W. Andrews my father was transferred to Kenya in 1950 and so we moved and spent time at Kilimani Primary School and by the time I joined the Duke of York School the senior most class was already in Form 3.
And then Dad was transferred again to South Africa and that’s when I joined Jeppe High School in South Africa. We eventually came back to Kenya in 1957’ continued Mike. Mike Andrews is one of the living legends of Kenyan and East African Rugby. He has seen it all, from his time as a player, captain and administrator.
‘So, did you pick up rugby at Jeppe or at the Duke of York?’ I posited that question to Mike. ‘I picked up the game at both institutions ‘was his riposte. Mike was already an Impala legend by 1959, when the Ngong Road team won the Nairobi District & Championship for the very first time.
In 1960 they lost narrowly to Nakuru Athletics Club away in Nakuru in the Enterprise Cup final. The red shirts finished the match with 14 men after younger brother John Andrews was sufficiently injured to rule himself out of the second –half. One year later Impala and Andrews achieved another first when they won the coveted Enterprise Cup for the first time.
He toured Northern Rhodesia with the 2nd Tuskers in 1962, and his subtle touches of skill enabled him to man a backline vacancy in case of injury. I did that successfully against Mufulira on 8 August 1962 when three –quarter Gordon John Bell broke his ankle. I was moved from back row to second centre. Substitutes for injuries were not allowed up to 1968. Earlier that year he played at prop in the Kenya against Tanganyika match at Arusha and scored a try in the 11-0 win.
East Africa’s first ever victory at home came on 18 May 1963 against Richmond of England at the RFUEA Grounds Nairobi. ‘Mike Andrews, Gordon Bell, Chris Young and Lofty Reynolds all played a great part in that win’ recorded the Post on Sunday.
Younger brother John was also an Impala, Kenya and East Africa player. Mike scored East Africa’s only TEST try against 1964 Five Nations champions Wales at the Rugby Football Union of East Africa -Grounds-Ngong Road 12 May 1964 and excelled for the locals. ’Excellent tackling especially by Mike Andrews and George Barbour kept the Welshmen in check,’ reported the Daily Nation. He was a member of the Scorpions team that defeated touring Anti-Assassins in 1965, the only local team to do so. He toured England with the 3rd Tuskers in 1966 alongside younger brother John.
Unfortunately, John passed on in 1967 and his family and Lenana School honored him with the christening of a tournament, the John Andrews Memorial 7s..’It was actually John’s idea to donate a Cup to be competed for at School level so when he passed on we just followed up on the same’ said Mike. The John Andrews Memorial Sevens and the RFUEA Schools Sevens were the only Sevens tournaments for Schools until the 1990s All members of the successful Nondescripts team winners of the Montreal 7s in Canada in 1976, the Watembezi Pacesetters who won the Dubai 7s in 1982, 1983 & 1984 as well as the first ever Kenya 7s team of 1986 all sharpened their skills at the two events.
He captained the Kenya Simba’s’ in 1972 and toured West Germany, Denmark and England with the red shirts in 1968 and 1970 and he was part of the successful Impala team of the 1970s that won the Kenya Cup and Enterprise Cup 4 years on the trot.
Mike was also President of the Club when they toured Texas in 1973 winning all matches on tour including the ones against Texas A & M University and Texas State 15’s. That year Impala was unbeaten on the domestic front bar the loss to Cumberland & Westmoorland Schools in the final of the inaugural Kenya Harlequin Easter Blackrock tournament and the 72-3 thrashing by touring Wasps RFC from England.
‘The hardest match I ever played was against Hanover in West Germany in 1968’ recalled Andrews in July 2015. Impala held Hanover 6-6 in that game on the tour of West Germany. ‘The Impala win against Hale, the Cornwall County champions of 1970 was probably one of the best games when I had the honour of wearing an Impala jersey’ continued the veteran player and administrator.
Ronnie Andrews his youngest brother also played for the Scorpions and Kenya in the late 1970s and early 1980s. ‘Mike Andrews played for the Impala first team uninterrupted from 1958 to 1979. That is twenty years of first-class rugby taking on the best both on the domestic and international front. He was an Enterprise Cup finalist with Impala 11 times with appearances in 1960, 1961, 1963, 1965,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975 and 1976 smoking the cigar on six occasions. He won six consecutive Kenya Cups with Impala in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975 and was a losing finalist in 1969 & 1977.
Mike was a member of the 1966 Tuskers, the only one of the touring side that played at home against the Scorpions, in 1967 a unique achievement. ‘A fine, fast back row forward,’ concluded William Shawcross a member of Nondescripts and his team mate with the third Tuskers in 1966. All in all, Mike Andrews gave the game of rugby union loyal and sterling service. He deserves an honoured and treasured place in East Africa Rugby.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years Jean Andrews three children and brother Ronald. Mike passed away on Tuesday 6 January 2026.
Salute
By
Paul Okong’o,
East Africa Rugby Historian
