All Saints tighten grip on Embu Rugby title as Kangaru end St. Teresa’s reign

All Saints High School, popularly known as the Titans, extended their dominance in Embu County schools rugby after powering past Mufu Secondary School 35-0 to clinch their sixth consecutive County Schools Rugby 15s title.

The commanding victory in the final played at Kangaru School Grounds on Saturday reaffirmed the Titans’ status as the team to beat in the county.

The 2024 Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) champions and 2025 first runners-up displayed superior game management, pace and attacking precision to overwhelm Mufu, who were appearing in the county final for the first time.

All Saints started strongly, maintaining territorial advantage and controlling possession in the opening exchanges.

Trevor Mwangi led the charge in the first half with an impressive hat-trick of tries. He also added a conversion, while Kelvin Munga calmly slotted two conversions as the Titans raced to a commanding 21-0 lead at halftime.

The Titans maintained the pressure after the restart, pinning Mufu deep in their half with relentless attacking phases.

Mwangi completed his outstanding performance with another try, while Bonnie Musinge converted from the spot. Peter Otieno later crossed the try line to seal the emphatic victory before the final whistle.

All Saints had earlier booked their place in the final after defeating long-time rivals Kangaru Boys 15-0 in a highly anticipated semi-final encounter widely described by fans as the “final before the final.”

Before kickoff, both teams fired up the crowd with intense haka-style war chants, stamping the ground and facing their supporters in a display of strength and unity that electrified the packed stands.

Once the game got underway, the Titans drew first blood with an early penalty to take a 3-0 lead.

The clash remained tightly contested, with both sides putting up strong defensive lines and battling fiercely in the breakdowns. However, All Saints eventually broke through Kangaru’s resistance early in the second half with a try and a successful conversion.

Moments before the final whistle, the Titans crossed the line again for another try, although the conversion attempt sailed wide.

Speaking after the final match, All Saints head coach Benson Mwenda said the team had worked hard to maintain their dominance despite growing competition.

“This year’s County championships were very competitive. The boys showed great discipline and determination to defend the title. We had challenges last year in the national games, but the experience from the FEASSSA competition helped us grow stronger,” said Mwenda.

The coach noted that the team is currently rebuilding with a youthful squad.

“Most of the players in this team are still young. We have about twelve players who are in Grade 10, which means the future of the team is very promising,” he added.

Mwenda expressed optimism ahead of the upcoming regional championships.

“We are preparing seriously for the regional games. We expect tough competition from hosts Meru School, Marsabit and Kitondo Boys, but our goal is to go all the way to the East African championships,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the girls’ category, Kangaru Girls High School, popularly known as the Mecca Queens, produced one of the biggest upsets of the tournament by dismantling East Africa defending champions St. Teresa’s Girls Kithimu 38-0 in the final.

The newcomers delivered a dominant performance to clinch the county title without conceding a single try throughout the tournament.

Jennifer Ayuma opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a penalty before adding a try three minutes later, which she successfully converted to give Kangaru early control of the match.

Millicent Mwendwa later extended the lead after weaving past several defenders in a brilliant run before Ayuma converted to make it 17-0 at halftime.

St. Teresa’s struggled to recover in the second half as Kangaru continued to dominate proceedings. Whitney Heart, Quincy Wanjiru and Marion Nyakio each crossed the try line, with Ayuma successfully converting all the tries to complete the emphatic victory.

Kangaru Girls head coach Paul Macharia, a former St. Teresa’s coach, admitted the match was emotionally charged but said his familiarity with the opponents helped shape his strategy.

“It was not an easy match because I know St. Teresa’s very well. I coached them before and even went with them to the East Africa championships, so I understood their style of play,” Macharia said.

He added that his focus now shifts to the upcoming regional competition.

“Our target now is the East Africa title. We want to ensure the trophy remains in Embu County,” he said.

Despite the short period before the regional championships begin, Macharia expressed confidence in his squad.

“The few days remaining are enough for the players to recover. The team is in good shape and we expect to perform well,” he added.

The Eastern Region Secondary Schools games are expected to kick off on Thursday at the Meru School.