The 2009 rugby season is just about to start and I have great expectations for local rugby this year, which I am sure are shared by many at Mean Machine.

I would like to see a bigger and better Rugby Super Series tournament this year. I would like to see Uganda participate this year and bring the number of participating teams up to eight from six. The rivalry between Kenya and Uganda on the pitch is always worth witnessing. It is amazing how much pride rides on a win when the two sides meet. I’ve always thought that Kenya and Uganda would not be where they are now in terms of progress in the fifteen’s version of the game had it not been for each other. We keep each other on toes and especially in the recent past, Uganda has proved that Kenya is no longer the indomitable force in East African rugby that we used to be.

Watching Tanzania take part in the Rugby Super Series last year was absolutely refreshing. They played their games and played them well; never quite getting a win but always playing with such passion and displaying such good sportsmanship. I am excited that they are coming back this year and I wish them all the best.

Mean Machine is one of the dominant teams of the Sharks Franchise which made its debut at last year’s tournament. Amazingly, they finished the tournament in third place, which says a lot for university rugby and makes one excited by the boundless possibilities for Kenyan rugby if policies were to be put in place, which ensured that rugby players at the university turned out for their schools and not other Kenyan clubs until they graduated. I strongly believe that this is one day to build rugby in tertiary learning institutions and hope that it is a plan that can one day be implemented by those in authority.

The Junior World Rugby Trophy 2009 in April is bound to be something that puts Kenya in the limelight for something other than fuel cartels and famine. I’m excited to see what sort of legacy this tournament leaves us with in terms of reputation of our Union and development of the Rugby Football Union of East Africa grounds and of course the Impala rugby pitch where some of the game will be played.

Preparation of the Impala pitch for the JWRT has meant that the Impala Floodlights Tournament has been pushed down to May. The tournament has earned its reputation as the annual rugby season opener in Kenya and I’m interested to see how moving this down to May will affect the tournament. I am hopeful that our boys will revert back to Mean Machine’s usual beginning of season form and bring the floodlights cup back home as we used to do so often back in the day.

Last season, Mean Machine just managed to escape last place in the Kenya Cup league. This year, they will probably start the season without a coach and as usual, support from the administration is not always forthcoming. But I would like to think that some things at Mean Machine do not change and just as they did back in the seventies, today’s team will make do without a coach, and with the minimal resources at their disposal and still do our name proud. The old boys are of course always willing to help where possible and are committed to ensuring that their legacy remains. We are excited that the boys will be having their annual elections soon and we are confident that the elections will bring to fore new eager faces at the helm of the club who can steer the club to the vision that will all have for it; a major stakeholder in the rugby fraternity and a formidable force on the pitch.

The Machine Old Boys enjoy online interactivity through the Machine Old Boys Google Group. Many a light moment are shared that will always make our day, be it Cliff, our first ever captain, putting a poor soul in their place or members sharing great insight on the future of Kenyan rugby or people inadvertently exposing their own dirty laundry.

I expect that this year, we will finally register the MOB and hold our first elections. I have enjoyed my time at the helm but I feel that the concept of getting us all together has been actualised and it is now time to look at this through fresh eyes. There exists a lot of potential in this group, which is made up of great people with great ideas and I am excited to see the heights that the MOB soars to under new leadership and the impact that this will have on Mean Machine RFC and Kenyan rugby as a whole.

I wish everyone happiness in the New Year and success in realising New Year resolutions. I am confident that 2009 brings with it great things for Mean Machine RFC, great things for Mean Machine Old Boys and great things for Kenyan rugby.