Day One of the 2025 Safari 7s Age Grade category kicked off in style at the Ngong Racecourse on Thursday, October 9, featuring exciting displays of talent and competitiveness from the young stars. The two-day event, which doubles up as trials for the national Under 16 boys’ and girls’ teams, brought together regional representatives and visiting sides from Uganda.
Both categories featured nine teams divided into three pools, and the opening day delivered intense matchups filled with skill, speed, and determination.
In the boys’ matches, Nyanza drew 12-12 with Eastern, International Schools defeated Central 31-12, and Uganda edged Western 12-7 in the first round. Round two saw Nairobi beat Eastern 19-12, Rift Valley thump Central 38-0, and Uganda continue their dominance with a 31-7 win over Coast. In round three, Nairobi overcame Nyanza 17-5, Rift Valley beat International Schools 19-7, and Western cruised past Coast 36-5.
For the girls’ category, Western started strong with a 22-7 win over Rift Valley, Uganda beat Coast 27-10, while Nyanza outclassed International Schools 24-12 in round one. Round two saw Rift Valley bounce back to beat Nairobi 12-5, Central beat Uganda 24-7, and Eastern edged Nyanza 21-14. In round three, Western beat Nairobi 24-17, Central dominated Coast 43-0, and Eastern thrashed International Schools 33-7.
After the group stages, the teams were ranked with the top eight in each category advancing to the quarterfinals. Rift Valley, Uganda, and Nairobi led the boys’ standings, while Central, Eastern, and Western topped the girls’ rankings.
In the day’s quarterfinal fixtures, Rift Valley, Uganda, and Western all secured wins in the boys’ category, while Nairobi’s clash with Eastern is set for tomorrow. In the girls’ matches, Eastern, Western, and Uganda progressed, with Central’s tie against International Schools scheduled for Friday.
The tournament concludes tomorrow at Nyayo Stadium, where the remaining quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals will be played to determine the 2025 Safari 7s Age Grade champions.