With the emergence of the Kenyan countrywide sevens workforce in the latest yrs to develop into a single of the actual forces on the IRB Environment Series, it would appear to be normal that a range of tournaments in the home country of the aspect would also arise as a education ground for foreseeable future players. This is definitely the situation all over the other important sevens participating in nations these types of as South Africa, England, New Zealand even the United states of america.
In Kenya even though there is only a person these kinds of tournament, only a single event that the beloved followers of the Kenyan sevens group can see their heroes participate in on house ground and that is the Tusker Safari Sevens in Nairobi.
Nevertheless it stands by itself as the flag bearer of the sevens rugby in Kenya, what a flag bearer the country has, attracting groups from across the globe to sample the beautifully pure delights of just one of the good international locations and cities on the African continent. Sevens groups have been eternally touring the world wanting for that just one tournament that excites and captivates the thoughts both equally on and off the industry and that is particularly what the Safari sevens aims to do.
John Hooper who toured with Samurai Global at the Safari sevens in 2008 remembers arriving on the morning of the event. “We practically were in the oldest mini-bus you had at any time observed, driving on a street that could not be explained as a highway, it felt like we had been virtually on Safari not participating in rugby at the Safari Sevens.” Although all of the Samurai players were considering ‘where are we?’ on that very first morning Hooper goes on to say “then it appeared, the participating in arena on Ngong Highway experienced virtually countless numbers of fans about it and it turned damn apparent we were there to participate in rugby!”
That’s the exclusive thing about the Safari sevens, it’s so really African. Precisely how you want a match to be when you get there on international soil as a touring staff. You you should not want a tournament that simply mimics other tournaments as lots of have tried out in attempting to replicate the earth famous Hong Kong and Dubai sevens. When this occurs the sensation of the business truth that rugby sevens operates in will become overly clear. Tournaments and their organising committees neglect what made groups arrive to their event to start with, the point that they are in a distinct component of the entire world seeking to sample unique cultures even though actively playing sevens rugby.
The Safari sevens does not neglect this in fact it in the eyes of the IRB this is to its detriment. It is not run like a professional equipment, it has taken the solution of ‘build it and they will come’ and it performs. The spectators are passionate about rugby and their Kenya crew (it offers them one thing to cheer other than stamina working) they are also experienced about the sport, but when you get there you know that this is someplace exclusive, that this is not your day-to-day sevens event.
Lengthy term the match organisers would like to see the Safari sevens on the IRB World sequence, but the ‘hidden gem’ mother nature of this match is such that while this would make it so special for sides to compete in absent from the Earth Series (this calendar year Samoa & Fiji compete) it suggests that it does not mesh with commercial anticipations of a sequence that consists of venues these types of as Twickenham, Petco Park and ‘The Sevens’ in Dubai on its menu.
This is not to say we will not likely see the Safari sevens on the sequence just one day and if they get it proper I am positive it will be just one of the most popular. Obtaining that combine of business good results (on an intercontinental scale) without having getting rid of what built groups get there in Nairobi to begin with will not be straightforward but if it is accomplished a single of the terrific sporting competitions will be born.
