Originally published in the East African, September 12-18 , 2011.
In 1928 a parcel containing a silver goblet arrived at the desk of the Rugby Football Union of Kenya. In the parcel was a silver trophy, a gift from the officers and men from the HMS Enterprise, one of two Echo Class ships in the Royal Navy- to be awarded annually to the winners of an Inter-District championship.
Earlier that year, a rugby team from HMS Enterprise, composed of 30 officers and men, departed for a two week tour of Kenya and Uganda playing Nakuru RFC, Kitale RFC, Kampala RFC, a combined Kericho/Londiani XV, a combined Thika/Ruiru XV, and the Mombasa Sports Club. The ship sailed to Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam and Tanga, playing a total of four more matches in these three ports, thus completing the first rugby tour of all three East African nations by a Royal Naval vessel.
As had been requested by the crew of the ship that had presented the trophy, the competition was inter-territorial, between four teams, Nairobi District, Coast District, Plateau District and Rift Valley District. The first competition played in 1930 was won by Nairobi, and the following year, by Nairobi North.
In 1933 the format was changed, and clubs could participate under the ‘clubs representing districts’ format, where clubs from Nairobi were allowed to participate as clubs. One of the challenges of the competition was the great distances that had to be covered to make the games possible.
The competition has been played every year since its inception in 1930 to date, with two exceptions: during the second world war years, 1940-46, and to make way for the All Africa Games in 1987 which were held in Nairobi.
Enterprise Cup Champions
The list of champions tells the trophies history of the game in Kenya:
Nondescripts R.F.C (24), Impala R.F.C.(10), Kenya Harlequin F.C. (8), Nakuru R.F.C. (6), Eldoret R.F.C. (7), Kampala R.F.C. (4), Mwamba R.F.C. (3), Kenya Commercial Bank R.F.C. (2), West Kenya (1), Nairobi North (1), Nairobi District (1), Mombasa Sports Club (1), Kitale R.F.C.(1), Kenya Police R.F.C. (1) and Coast Province (1). The trophy has been shared twice.
The Enterprise cup, in standing the test of time, is the fibre of rugby competition in the region. As the game of rugby achieved wider participation, several other trophies were presented to support and widen the reach of rugby by association with the Enterprise cup.
In 1954, zones were created to counter the challenge of long distances covered. Two zones, would each provide a finalist. In 1960 the format was again changed. Four zones, Uganda, West Kenya, Central Province (Nairobi and surrounding districts) and Northern Province (Tanganyika and Coast), would each provide one semi finalist, by whatever means each zone decided on. A few of the trophies and competitions associated with the Enterprise cup are listed below
The Jones Cup
Initially started as a sevens cup in 1953, the method of playing the trophy was changed and awarded to the winners of the fifteen a side West Kenya Enterprise cup zone.
The Nairobi District Championship
For a period before 1959, the top three teams of the NDC would play in a competition together with teams from Northern Province (Norther n Tanganyika) and Coast Province to produce an Eastern Zone finalist for the Enterprise cup.
The Uganda Cup
Started in 1962, The winner of the Uganda cup qualified as the Uganda semi-finalist to the Enterprise cup.
The Soy Cup
The Soy cup was introduced in West Kenya in 1960, to give opportunity to ‘A’ sides and weaker teams that could not participate in the Western Kenya Jones Cup.
The Eric Shirley Shield
In 1962, the Kenya Central Province R.F.U. introduced an ‘A’ league competition on much the same lines as the successful Soy Cup competition.
The Inter Provincial Championship
In 1955 the RFUEA introduced an inter provincial championship, after the ‘clubs representing districts’ format prevailed as the Enterprise competition format. West Kenya and Uganda would produce one finalist, and Kenya Central province, Tanganyika Norther n Province and Coast Province the other. The tournament was played until 1972, by which time the Provincial Unions had made way for the Kenya Rugby Football Union in 1970.
The Mwamba Cup
Started in 1980 as a knockout competition for ‘A’ sides, or second teams, the Mwamba cup final is played as a curtain raiser to the Enterprise Cup final. Mwamba ‘A’ were the inaugural winners beating Mean Machine ‘A’ 16-10.
81 years old and 73 competitions later, the Enterprise Cup Competition still goes strong. If the trophy could tell a tale, it would be the evolution of the game, and the history of rugby in East Africa.