Looking Back To The 2008 Rugby Super Series

A Look At The 2008 Rugby Super Series
by Mike Kwambo

The 2008 Rugby Super Series sponsored by Bamburi Cement was an expanded event, featuring six franchises, namely the Buffaloes, Cheetahs, Lions and Rhinos with the new additions being the Sharks made up of Nairobi based universities and the Twigas from Tanzania. The teams were pooled in two groups of three teams each.

POOL 1: Cheetahs, Lions, Twigas
POOL 2: Buffaloes, Rhinos, Sharks

The inclusion of the Twigas from Tanzania saw the RSS spread its wings across the Kenyan border for the first time since its inception in 2003.

MATCH DAY ONE
Match day one saw the Twigas make their RSS debut with a home fixture in Arusha against four time losing finalists, Lions. And what a debut it was! The Twigas were on the receiving end of a 0-65 rout by the Lions in the match played on Saturday 8th March 2008.

In his post match comments, Twigas coach Tinus Aucamp spoke candidly, saying, “we were outplayed in all aspects of the game. It was the first time this season that we ran together as a team, and it will always be
difficult to perform against a well-trained squad which has clearly worked together for a while. “We also made many unforced mistakes, and the Lions’ pack put us under pressure. Our backline received the ball on their back feet. The Kenyans gave a clinical display of fast-running rugby and good support play “We knew from the start it would be difficult, seeing as Kenya club sides are the strongest in East Africa. Losing wasn’t really a surprise, but we expected to give them a good run for their money. Obviously we’re disappointed that we didn’t manage to get some points on the board.”

Lions’ coach Bill Githinji spoke highly of the Twigas, saying, “the Twigas were quite a good side that gave as much as they got. “Perhaps the biggest let down was that they had not trained together enough before the game. The only remedy is to put more effort into building team cohesion by playing together more.”

The other fixture saw the Rhinos beat the Buffaloes 37-8 at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi.

MATCH DAY TWO
It was the Sharks’ turn to make their debut in the RSS. They were up against the Rhinos who were gunning for a second successive win that would see them through to the semi finals.

The Rhinos did enough to qualify for the semi finals courtesy of a hard fought 5-3 win against a Sharks side that totally ruffled their structure with the determined defence and hard running that is characteristic of varsity sides.

It is instructive to note that the Sharks missed three easy penalty attempts that would have won them the game. A lucky escape for the Rhinos but a win nonetheless.

The second fixture on match day two saw the perennial bridesmaids Lions take on the Cheetahs.

Previous encounters between these two sides had always been epic clashes. The 2004 and 2006 RSS finals when the Cheetahs overhauled massive deficits to claim the overall title are in the memories of many a rugby fan.

The match was as competitive as they get, the lead changing hands no more than five times between the two sides before the Lions nicked it 18-17, a win that earned them passage to the semi finals.

MATCH DAY THREE
The RSS returned to Arusha, Tanzania where the home side, Twigas played host to the Cheetahs. A win for either side would see them join the table-topping Lions in the semi finals.

The Cheetahs ran off 31-0 winners against the Twigas, though credit should go to the Twigas for putting up a much better defensive performance.

The second match took place at Nairobi’s RFUEA Grounds. The Sharks got the win they needed to qualify for the semis, running off 35-3; victors against the Buffaloes.

MATCH DAY FOUR
Match day four saw the RSS enter the semi final stage. The playoff for 5th/6th position was the curtain raiser to the semis. Buffaloes played Tanzania’s Twigas at the RFUEA in a match that saw 70 points shared
between the two sides. Buffaloes won the free flowing game 45-25.

The first semi final saw the Lions play the Sharks. The Lions were in pursuit of a fifth successive finals appearance while the rookie Sharks where keen on making an appearance in the final on their RSS debut.

Everything seemed to be going well for the Sharks, they led 9-5 going into the half time break but the more seasoned Lions overhauled this deficit, running off 30-14 winners, securing a record fifth successive RSS finals appearance.

The second match pitted the Rhinos against the Cheetahs. A dominant display from the Rhinos forwards saw them demolish the Cheetahs 39-13, securing a berth in the final.

MATCH DAY FIVE
The first order of business on this day was the 3rd/4th playoff pitting the Cheetahs against debutantes Sharks. The Sharks had a torrid first half, holding on to a 7-0 lead at the interval. They held out to beat the Cheetahs 20-18 and claim third place on their RSS debut.

The second and most important order of business was up next. The RSS title match pitting defending champions Rhinos against four time losing finalists Lions. The buzz around town going into this fixture was that it would be a closely contested match. Rhinos were the pre match favourites by virtue of being the defending champions.

Many in the rugby circles questioned the Lions ability to claim the title, given their legendary propensity to choke at the eleventh hour as witnessed in four consecutive RSS finals losses. The Lions came out guns blazing, pulverizing the Rhinos and the 13-6 lead they took into the half time break was not a fair reflection of
their first half dominance.

They turned on the style in the second half, pumping in twenty points against the Rhinos three. It was a game in which the Lions were dominant while the Rhinos were simply bereft of ideas. The 33-9 score line at the final whistle was just reward for the Lions players and their coach Bill Githinji, who in his maiden season at the Lions helped ended four years of RSS heartache in emphatic fashion.

That was the 2008 Rugby Super Series.

We look forward to more exciting action in the 2009 event.