The Tanzania national men's Rugby Sevens team, the Twiga Kings, recently participated in the Obaro Willem Strauss International 7s Tournament in Limpopo, South Africa. The two-day tournament, which concluded over the weekend, provided the team with valuable international experience. During the tournament, the Twiga Kings recorded one victory and suffered defeats against stronger opposition. This exposure highlighted areas requiring improvement as the team seeks to become more competitive internationally.
The Twiga Kings faced Mogol, Harties Hawks 1, and UXi Warriors in the pool stage but failed to register a victory on the opening day. However, the team responded strongly on the second day, defeating Naboom 31–0 after scoring five tries and three conversions. This victory advanced the Twiga Kings to the Bowl semi-final, where they ultimately lost to Dipoo with a score of 38–5. The contrasting results demonstrated the team's potential while exposing gaps in its ability to maintain consistency against experienced opposition.
Tanzania Rugby Union (TRU) Secretary General Anthony Dawa emphasized that the tour was an important learning opportunity for the players and technical staff. The competition provided practical lessons to guide preparations for future competitions. According to Dawa, the tournament allowed the team to assess its strengths and weaknesses, particularly in defensive organisation, decision-making under pressure, attacking execution, physical preparation, and game management.
The Twiga Kings' performance in the tournament highlighted the importance of international exposure in helping Tanzanian players understand the standards required to compete successfully at a higher level. Dawa stressed that such exposure is crucial for the team's growth and development. The team's participation in the tournament also provided an opportunity for TRU to strengthen relationships with international rugby stakeholders and explore partnerships to support player development and the growth of the sport in Tanzania.
The October 22–26 tour was a significant experience for the Twiga Kings, allowing them to gain valuable insights into the level of competition required to succeed internationally. The team's performance demonstrated its potential, but also highlighted areas that require improvement. TRU will likely use the lessons learned from this tournament to inform its future preparations and development strategies.
The Twiga Kings' participation in the Obaro Willem Strauss International 7s Tournament was a valuable experience for the team, providing a platform to test its skills against stronger opposition. The team's ability to adapt and respond on the second day of the tournament was encouraging, but the loss in the semi-final highlighted the need for consistency and improvement. TRU will likely focus on addressing these areas in its future preparations.
The experience gained from the tournament will be crucial in informing the team's future development and preparation strategies. TRU will likely use the insights gained from the tournament to identify areas for improvement and develop plans to address these gaps. The team's participation in the tournament was a significant step towards gaining the experience and exposure needed to compete successfully at a higher level.
Key points
- The Twiga Kings gained valuable international experience in South Africa.
- The team's performance highlighted areas requiring improvement, including defensive organisation and game management.
- The tournament provided an opportunity for TRU to strengthen relationships with international rugby stakeholders and explore partnerships.
