Benson Adoyo: The rise and rise of Kenya's newest try-scoring machine

Benson Salem Adoyo emerged as the top try and top points scorer in Safari Sevens 2024 in Machakos where he helped Kenya Shujaa retain the title.

Nicknamed Jayues or Magical Salem, Adoyo was born on August 7, 1999, and raised in Kibra in Nairobi County.

The second last-born child of five boys attended Ayany Primary School and Dagoretti High School in Nairobi.

At ‘Dago’, he was voted the Most Valuable Player in the Damu Pevu League in 2018, went all the way to the East Africa Secondary School Games, and also made the Kenya Schools Select squad in 2019. 

He was called to the national sevens rugby team for the first time in 2021 and won the Safari Sevens that year. Adoyo was the top points scorer at Prinsloo Sevens 2022.

Adoyo currently plays for Kenya Cup record champions Nondescripts Rugby Football Club with his big dream to play at the World Cup, Olympics, and professional rugby 15-a-side.

In 2023, Adoyo played for the Texas rugby team and Dallas Harlequins in the United States.

Adoyo spoke to My Network about his rugby career so far and his future aspirations. Excerpts:

How did you find yourself in rugby?

I was introduced to rugby by a friend, former Menengai Oilers player Timothy Lugalia, who is now at Nondescripts, and I developed an interest in it. It looked really fun.

Does it mean you ditched another sport for rugby?

I played football as a defender with my older brothers before taking up rugby. I hadn’t played football for long before I was introduced to rugby at around nine. There were a lot of activities going on when I joined, a lot of games for children and we would travel and play outside Nairobi.

We had free meals provided by the founder of Shamas Rugby Foundation, Azim Deen after practice, and I believe this is one of the top reasons I fell in love with rugby. This used to be a motivation for most of us who came from humble beginnings.

What are your best moments so far in rugby?

I’ve had so many good moments in rugby. I got to travel out of the country while I was still young. I travelled to South Africa in 2013 with Shamas Rugby for primary school games. Winning the Tisap Sevens with Nondescript in sudden death against Strathmore Leos in 2023 in Eldoret is another good moment, as well as making my debut for Kenya in the World Rugby Sevens Series during the Toulouse Sevens leg in France in 2022. Winning the Safari Sevens twice and playing in the States are also moments I will cherish.

Is there a moment you would like to forget about?

I had such a bad experience tearing my rectus femoris muscle in practice while kicking, in 2020. Another bad moment was when I got a fracture in the sinus on my head while playing against Nakuru in the Kenya Cup in 2022. I also missed out on the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in France due to an injury.

How has rugby changed your life?

Through rugby, I paid for my education from high school to college. I did a short course in Media Production at ICS College in Nairobi. I was also doing Human Resources Management at Zetech University but I took a break.

I have also met some legends of the game like Biko Adema, Collins Injera, Andrew Amonde, Humprey Kayange, Benedict Mghanga, Tongan flyhalf Kurt Morath, and American winger Takudzwa 'Zee' Ngwenya.

This sport has also enabled me to meet political leaders like Raila Odinga, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, Charity Ngilu, Kipchumba Murkomen, Ababu Namwamba, and Kibra MP Peter Orero. These are people that I never imagined I’d meet in person.

Rugby has also taught me so much about life, given me some of the best moments in my life, and started friendships that will never end.

It has helped me overcome a lot outside the pitch despite growing up in Kibra, where I was exposed to a lot of dangers. It saved me from getting into crime and drug abuse, because most of my time was spent, or rather is spent, in the rugby community.

What’s that one value that rugby has taught you?

The number one value that rugby has taught me is trusting the process. Trusting the process is all about finishing workouts, finishing runs, finishing plays, finishing training sessions, and finishing the smallest task you have in front of you. And finishing it well.

Have you faced any challenges in your rugby journey?

One of the uncontrollable challenges that I have faced in my rugby career is getting injured and having to come back from that. It takes a lot from you.

How does your family react to you playing rugby?

I come from a family that does not have many sports people. However, my dad Alois Adoyo Obudho did boxing while he was still young. My other siblings don’t do sports except for our last-born, who also plays rugby sometimes.

I had a pretty rough time when I started playing because I used to come back home injured and my parents and siblings wanted me to stop playing. I remember they used to lock me up in the house, sometimes, so that I wouldn’t go to practice.

Who is your role model in rugby?

I have Biko Adema, Kurt Morath, and Collins Injera. I admire the playmaking skills from these legends, and the kicking from Kurt and Biko, as well as the speed from Injera.

You played for the Texas rugby team and Dallas Harlequins in the States last year. How did you know about them?

I went to the US for a church function and after that, I was connected with friends, including Frank Muchugia who is a coach in the Dallas Harlequins team. This is where I met Zee Ngwenya who introduced me to Kurt Morath, the coach of the Texas rugby team.

I have worked with a lot of coaches here in Kenya from age grade to senior level, including Washington Okello, Stephan Ottu, Gomba Isaac, James Kangethe, Joseph Kangethe, Ronald Okoth, Victor Walgwe, Willis Ojal, Ben Nyambu, Callum Oliver, Innocent Simiyu and Moses Wanyaga. Without them, I don't know if I'd have reached this far in rugby.