 We are still sticking with Mada Sports here on Y254, telling you everything that has been happening and is still happening in the world of sports. Uganda decides and we are following up on that story, but it is the touch line and we are talking about everything sports. We are still hanging out with the pandit himself, Mark Solwaseke. Mr. Pandit We are going to talk about rugby for a time now, Mali. Ya, sure. Happy New Year. Thank you for inviting me. So, the world is on a standstill now. Uganda, the electing robotic yangolan is there. We have been talking about wokorachi, but how are you doing so far? And by there talking about Uganda decides. Ya, sir, an update coming in. Of course, the man serving as FAA President of Uganda, Moses Magogo, has been elected Budiope East Member of Parliament. It was all robot having schooled in Uganda. Tell us about Budiope. Do you know the place? Budiope. That has got to be somewhere in western Uganda. I'm not sure, I'm not certain about it. But I think now, that one tells us that people using sporting leadership positions to rise to politics is Mali Mkombu also trying to do that. You and development at the Kenya Rugby Union. And about time we catch up on what has been happening in the world of rugby here in Kenya and world of considering that the COVID-19 pandemic came in and disrupted everything. And rugby as a sport is noted back as others have been coming back very slowly. So, Mali Mkombu, what has been happening in your world? Well, the way you've said COVID actually has really taken a big toll for the game. But we are working out probably, the way you saw we were about to finish Kenya Cup last season. We were coming towards the playoffs but we were not able because of when the pandemic now striking in. But now we had to stop because of the government protocols and we find that now we had to adhere to the protocols. But now the government is allowing the game to be back. Now I've seen the national team they are training, the Olympic, the Lioness and the Shuiya. Yeah, they are back and training. Actually, that allows you to be the major talking point, preparedness. How are you preparing considering that the Olympics is this year also? Yeah, so the players are already in the camp and probably you've seen on the social media on how they are preparing and yesterday in fact NMS was there. We are doing the test, the coffee test. That's a good thing because now the government is also coming in a sense away to assist the game to be back fully. So they were preparing for Tokyo and we hope we'll be able to do well. And finally time is running despite of issues in Japan also. I've been following Japan media and the uncertainty is also about the Olympic in Japan and the other countries also across the world. And you see this time around our national teams led by Shuiya and Lioness have to defy our loads and perform surpass their previous performance. Yeah, what happened in Rio. So that's the target now and defending the coach probably. When a coach is preparing the team he also has to base on the past to see where the weakness was and where the strength and also look at the opponent probably you start the opponent. And I think they're working on that so that we'll be able to do well and get a gold. Knok might be really much also focusing on the team so that we can also be able to increase our talent in terms of the medals when it comes to Tokyo Olympic. And most of our opponents are keeping an eye on Kenya considering how we've performed very well at the international stage during HSBC World 7 series. The likes of Colin Sinjera one of the top tri-scorer. So most of our opponents must be keeping a keen development on Kenyan preparedness. And is that also probably going forward seeking to work in our favor? Yeah, yeah, you know 7th rugby and I've been a coach of 7 and I've won gold for Kenya in high school. And 7th is anybody's game and so you need to prepare well and get focus on it. Otherwise if the team realizes a sudden weakness in your side, they might capitalize on that and you lose. But I know what the coach are looking at, they are focusing on strengthening all the sides so that when it comes in our facing opponents in Tokyo, I will be okay. And probably they're also lining up a series of friendly matches so that we get ourselves where we are. That was the conversation that the team was to live for Spain. I think there had been an invitational tournament for the team in preparedness for the Olympics. Oh yeah, the way it's come out and that's an area of preparing for Olympics. So to go and play against other teams so it can be able to know how strong are you. You can be able to improve on your weakness and your strength also. So that you become an around team and when you go, you'll be okay. Osoro, you know there have been arguments surrounding the comparison contrasts between Kenya 7th not necessarily Kenya 7th, between 7th rugby and 15th with some saying that you know 7th is just cosmetics. Rugby itself is 15th. I know your response on the same has got some finality considering you have kissed a cold. I have played rugby at the big stage yourself. What do you think? Let's end it today this particular afternoon. I feel it is at the bed. I feel it is at the bed between 7th and 15th. 15th is very involving and you know that's 15th. That's what the rugby guys say it's real rugby. Because it involves a number of players, you have the backs and the forwards. Now the coaches probably sometimes they do have two coaches. Like now when you see what South Africans are doing in the current coach, the defense coach for the spring box when they won the World Cup in Tokyo in Japan. So we have the forwards and when you look at the forward of South Africa it was feared by the older teams. It was called a bomb squad. They could bring in the second substitution and they could make a big difference on the game. So the issue of 7th and 15th that's why I was saying 7th is anybody's game you think can play but 15th unless you put some professionalism in it. It's very hard to play. Actually talking about 15th last year Michael Tan Koteeno, the coach for KCB got a Ph.D. Oh ya black blood. Ya he got a Ph.D. Doctor on any tank. Ya quite a number of guys when rugby they've gone ahead and doing well so much in studies. So I think that was good for Tang and having played a big role towards Kenyan rugby in development of Kenyan rugby. I think we need to congratulate him for that. And now considering that it is the COVID-19 pandemic and everything is on a standstill more so in rugby how the players are faring on at the moment? Okay now that one depends with the clubs and also the coaches and like what we are doing with the 18 with Paul Murunga. We find that we've been keeping track with the players and also sending out the program for them. Then we monitor them through the online. And apart from that we also have the T&E which is going on and the government has restricted the contract part but see now the areas where we don't have contract the program have been running. And now we've been able to improve our capacity in terms of T&E. So that's in the times of our macho officials we have the coaches. There are also an S&C and the side of also medics so that when now we resume we'll be able to have enough personnel to be able to assist the game to run. But when you look at the side of the players it's the clubs and the coaches they are having probably their own program with the players. So just to keep in touch with the players. Malim, like you know in other sporting disciplines like volleyball the head coach of Malkia Strikas his name is Paul Bitok has been making a follow up on his players online mechanisms, WhatsApp event, players training and you know he's just checking the progress of the players fitness levels. Is that also applicable? How relevant can it be used in rugby as well? In fact that's what I was saying that's part of the program that we've been using we have the YouTube we have the recording of the program it's easy because now where the world is heading it's sliding towards the technology world whereby a good example I think this guy the Atleti I think he had seen the world coming to that Julius Yego you know he was training through YouTube and he went and won the job So once you embrace the technology you'll be able to meet some of the targets that you are looking at because you cannot just leave everything in a vacuum we need also to see that at least the program is running and that's where the coaches have gone so far even the national team initially that's why the online program before now the government allowed in to resume for the national team training It is the touchline here on why to perform Ropano solo we are still here with Mualim Kumbu and Maxwell Oseke the pandit himself and we are talking matters rugby at this moment but also as we are talking of everything that is happening in the world of sports at the moment rugby has not been coming has not actually been allowed to come back because it is a very serious contact sport but it's also a year where there are many things happening in Mualim considering that the rugby calendar is still on so this year is the rugby calendar well we are supposed to be hosting birthdays that's for under 20 and remember last year we were the 2019 we qualified and went to represent Koned of Africa in Brazil and we are also looking forward to host that because we are given the right to host it for the next three years it's unfortunate that we were not able to do it last year in May so we are anticipating to have it again this year then we also gold couple so it's coming up that's where Simba is supposed to participate and probably once the calendar comes out we will be able to prepare and also participate and also we are also at the World Cup qualifying for 2023 in France that's also teams are also starting now working out to start preparing for that I saw Zim a few months ago they were launching it for say South Africa Springbok Digi in 2018 month to win the World Cup so teams working out the program to start preparing so we also on the course we also have the lioness also working out for their own program so we also have the Ripejuice coming up for World Cup qualifying so we will make it at the Ripejuice there will be a better position to make it to the World Cup quite a bloated schedule for Kenyan teams in terms of international events so you and I have phone memories of it's called Bats Cup the last time it took part in the country was in 2018 where Kenya beat Brazil in the final and Mibia and you know qualify to take part in Brazilian tournament and now as a man in charge of youth development how have you been keeping tabs on the young ones of course Bats tournament is meant for under 20 players especially those who played in that particular competition and you know their progress levels because there has to be continuity how have you been keeping tabs on the juniors to ensure that you know they progress step higher to the national team last year the players were in the camp and they were preparing for the Bats Cup to be able to qualify again for my Madrid for World Junior Championship but now you see now has progressed another year probably you might find the others now are graduating to not be under 20-21 years old so what we've done we've run the program that's for 2018 program and we have coach and the S&C guys they have been going around the country but see now just to be able to mount and see the players who will be able now to be ready in case we invite them for the camp and that one has been done and even the coaches who are high school coaches they have also gone to the program the T&E program so that as much as everything is now brought back if and now it's easy because we've already identified those players we can be able to invite them in the camp and also we have the online individual training which is doing well especially in the other countries also so we've also tried to impress it where we have to monitor especially the under 18 because that's the next group that we are looking for and probably the others are there but the only thing is when the government gives an okay now it will be very easy for us to bring them then we continue with their training and as we are still catching up on everything that is up we've got to talk about the transfers too Jyusha Chisanga is back and is now saying for Hollywood that's good news also so that means another bring another competition again in Kenya transfers are good because normally they strengthen the team and also improves the competition and also it also uplifts the game which is something good probably is come back and we are anticipating to see a very competitive Kenya Cup this year once we answer the league resumes and just like in football you know there are a few teams that have dominated headlines and so applies to rugby as well because KCB Kabras Rugby Football Club and other teams doing to step up and give you know much needed competition to the heavyweights because it looks like you know it's a field dominated by specific a few clubs my team Mr. Bulls already got relegated Osoro Kisi as well no we have made my shit ah come on man also got relegated so I think it's just progressive to prepare yourself a club that probably has high performance taking them to the structure well structure and well condition you can be able to compete well and when you look at the league it's not just been in recent past that's when we've seen Kabras come top and also KCB but initially it used to be Hala Queens and Timpala and even Muamba so it changes initially in the 80s and 90s they were champions and they won so they were winning so there are changes and this goes on how to preparation now like you see now what the transfer when they are signing about people like Kisanga that tells us probably they are also preparing if they have a good squad the next two years things might change again so it goes on like that in terms of how the team prepares itself you have final word Malimo what do you expect this year well we expect things to come to normal we've seen France Six Nation they are not playing we've seen some of the matches in South Africa Bulls fielding the second string team to play against the Puma so it is tough time for the world of rugby and we are anticipating that things will be able to normalize vaccine is coming up because there are many people who earn through sports but see now it's like they have made a job place so if things normalize they will go back and we continue from where we are and we also improve on our ranking and coaches take up their role so we are anticipating that things will normalize and we will be able to do well and come back to where we are Malimo what is the end of last year I spoke to Gangelo Dore and the campaign will be starting in February that's still the case because we pondering nowadays after the show man we very idle there is no way we can go and catch the local action and we don't want to to watch manu as known we want to be a little bit Kenyan Patriots so when is the league resuming we are hoping so because we are also missing the game so we hope so if we are able to kick over in February right now things are working out probably the chairman might be announcing soon when the league will be kicking off there is a big probability that the league will be back in February yeah that's why we are leaving it to the chairman we are able now to come and announce it officially but we are also happy to see that the league start in January in February sorry Malim is chair and founder of Komras rugby football club and he is playing down there and you know for him to set a good example we need to see his team now playing at the big stage in public domain in Kenyakapa when are we seeing that Malim? well you know my development guy I will go get players develop them then send them up rugby you can play in way even championship even the nationwide Kenyakapa so long as a player is playing rugby that's good but it's good for development if you want to see this player the party of this player he's been at high school he's going to nationwide probably he's played for under 20 he's going to play for 7 for the national team I think that's the best thing we can see in a rugby player and that's part of the development that's what's been for many years down the line good stuff we appreciate you coming here on the show here let's go for a short commercial break when we come back we'll be playing the highlights of Wayne Mark Rooney here on The Times