Diani Beach Touch Rugby Tournament

Heritage Hotels co-sponsored the eighth Diani Beach Touch Rugby tournament, held at 40 Thieves Beach Bar in Diani, Kwale.

This international touch rugby event aims at raising money for two local teams in Ukunda and Kwale: the South Coast Pirates Club and the Junior Rugby Association of Kwale.

28 teams took part, including one from Mogadishu for the first time. Others were from Nanyuki, Naivasha, Nairobi, Mombasa and Tanzania.

It was an exciting weekend of rugby for everyone. South Coast Pirates 2 won the tournament. The previous champs were South Coast Pirates 1.

The other finals saw Les Gaulois 1 winning the Plate, Les Gaulois 2 the Shield and COMRAS the Bowl.

The junior’s tournament was won by the team Lady Jackals from Nanyuki playing a young Likoni Community One team, with the final score 3-1.

Speaking during the award presentation ceremony, Chairman George Barbour expressed his sincere gratitude to all the fans, players, officials, sponsors and donors who made the event a success.

The raffle and auction raised Ksh 418,000. It was boosted with the 10% bar sales from Forty Thieves which raised Ksh 664,000. The money will go towards The South Coast Pirates and the Junior Rugby Association of Kwale.

The Federation of International Touch’s Kenya’s representative (FIT Kenya) is targeting to have a national team in the 2019 Touch World Cup.

Heritage Hotels is keen to put this game on the international map by supporting local clubs at grass root level in Kenya and for the youth to learn and gain from this - and other - sporting events.  

Report and pictures by Ndeithi Kariuki, Marketing Manager-Heritage Hotels Ltd