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The Rugby Super Series 2024 came to an end over the weekend with the Cheetahs emerging winners at the final played out at the RFUEA.

Making a return after a decade, both new and older fans were curious to see what the super series had in store for them upon its return. After four weeks of intense action that brought forth silky skills, crunching tackles, suspenseful action and an exciting final to cap it all.

Super Series births new stars

The Rugby Super Series 2024 has given us a peek into new talent who may play a key role for the national side in the upcoming days. The Most Valuable Player Amos Obae and fellow Cheetahs backrower Okoth, Lions’ Obat Kuke, U20 prodigy Andy Cole Omollo and Benjamin Ruger, Buffaloes’ Edwin Chao just among the few names who stood out over the tournament period.

Barry Robinson’s stellar performance at fly-half in Buffaloes’ loss to Lions throws another spanner into the works, selectors maybe looking at a potential positional switch for the scrumhalf.

Management issues

Once again, the ugly head of poor planning and communication reared its head on the final day, bringing the tournament to an anticlimax on its final day as the Buffaloes were declared bronze winners after the Rhinos forfeited their playoff match citing unpaid allowances. 

Such scenes are becoming the norm in our sporting scene now, most recently affecting the Lionesses who threatened to forfeit their Rugby Africa Cup match in Madagascar over unpaid allowances.

The increasing mistrust between stakeholders threatens to cloud the massive steps taken in the right direction

Slow start

Despite a slow start to proceedings characterised by a delayed announcement of outfit sponsors and a muddy surface that slowed down action at the RFUEA, things got moving as the tournament made its second stop in the rugby city of Nakuru, home to the Cheetahs outfit and later in Kakamega serving intense action along the way.

Missing national team players

Some national team players were conspicuously missing in action over the four weeks, with confusion reigning on whether they should be included in the squads.

The main aim of the Rugby Super Series as outlined was to offer a clear pathway to the national team for the best players in the country. Recruiters are to use the tournament to select the best talent who will then join the national team set up.

Buffaloes would introduce a batch of their national team later in the tournament, the same case applying to Cheetahs who introduced Dennis Abukuse and Timothy Okwemba in the latter stages. The likes of Joel Inzuga, Brian Wahinya, Bryceson Adaka and Jone Kubu were some Simbas players who were suspiciously missing from action.

This may have cut back on the level of competition and quality that national team players would have added, their international experience in the tournament obviously a welcome decision for the fans.