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Makokha said the team is laden with talent and can go places if supported with scholarships and well-playing career opportunities.

“All we are asking for is the support of the stakeholders from the lakeside to come support our boys. Some of us don’t have jobs…we just play rugby. Others need education opportunities, like scholarships. So, we just pray that our stakeholders back home will come in and support the team because we have a lot of talent in the team,” Makokha said.

He said Western Kenya, comprising Nyanza and Western regions, have been blessed with abundance of rugby talent who only need the opportunity to shine and reach the upper echelons of their careers.

“Western is the base of rugby in Kenya. For us as Kisumu RFC, we have seen the huge support there is for the sport, even during our time playing in (last season’s) Kenya Cup,” he pointed out.

The lakeside team lie tenth on the NSC log with 23 points, ahead of the two remaining legs in Eldoret (Tisap Sevens) and Nairobi (Kabeberi Sevens).

At their last tournament at the Christie Sevens, Kisumu finished 13^th after a 42-5 demolition of Sigalagala Polytechnic in their 13^th place playoff final.

Regardless, Makokha admitted their finish was mere consolation considering the lofty targets they had set for the fourth leg of the NSC.

“We came short…we had higher expectations. But, we are going to correct the weak areas and I know that in the next tournament we are going to reach where we want. Our expectations were to make the quarters…and possibly on to the semis, so we fell short,” the skipper said.

It was the second consecutive leg in which Kisumu have grabbed the 13^th place following their 41-5 win over Western Bulls at the Prinsloo Sevens in Nakuru in their 13^th place playoff final.

Reflecting on their overall experience in NSC, Makokha said they are savouring the joy of playing against the bigwigs of Kenyan rugby.

“The experience has been nice…we have been having a good run. The boys, they have enjoyed the experience of playing against the big guys. We thank Kenya Rugby Union for this opportunity to play a game that we love,” he said.