Kiambu’s Kinale Girls shine as they lift national rugby title

By Lawrence Ongaro

Kinale Girls Secondary School, located in Kiambu County, emerged as champions in the national secondary school rugby finals held in Kisumu.

The tournament, which concluded on Saturday, April 11, featured various schools from across the country. Kinale Girls defeated St Joseph Kitale 23–05 in the final.

Earlier in the competition, Kinale overwhelmed Joga Secondary 22–00, then crushed Paul Harris School 46–00, and thrashed Sidindi Secondary 63–00. They also went on to beat Mbagathi Secondary 46–00.

Head coach Allan Bush said the tournament was highly competitive and reaching the final was not easy.
“I advised my team to stay confident and play carefully without panic, and that’s exactly what they did,” he explained.

Coaching journey and teamwork

According to the coach, he has trained the girls’ team for three consecutive years, during which Kinale Girls has represented the school four times in a row at the national secondary school games.
Coach Bush previously coached Gilgil Secondary School in Nakuru County before joining Kinale Girls in 2023.

The Kinale Girls team celebrating the trophy they won in rugby after the final against St Joseph Kitale. Photo/Courtesy

He credited strong cooperation between students, teachers, and the school leadership for the team’s success. He also praised the principal for giving students and coaches the opportunity to participate in various sports, including football, rugby, netball, and volleyball.
“This program has put us on the global map. Principal Mwandigha constantly encourages us to believe in ourselves,” he added.

Eyes on East Africa championships

After winning the rugby title, the team is now preparing to participate in the East African Secondary School Games scheduled for August in Morogoro, Tanzania.
The coach noted that he currently has a pool of 40 rugby players and will continue training them before selecting the final squad for the tournament.
“This time, I will make every effort to reach the final in the East African competitions,” he said.

Kinale’s principal, Vulfrida Mwandigha, said the school has excelled in sports such as football, volleyball, and netball for five consecutive years.
“Kinale has remained at the forefront in sports by giving students and coaches enough time to train,” she explained.

She emphasized that despite the focus on sports, students also perform well academically.
“We ensure that academics and sports go hand in hand so that every student has a better chance of sustaining themselves after completing their education,” she said.