'Bandits' face Mang'u High in Opening Match
The atmosphere in Strathmore in the last many months has been one acutely of rugby. Any free time, any free space, any free boys boiled into a quick game of 'touch'. Break time, lunch time, home time was all the same to the enthusiatic sportsmen: rugby-time. This has definitely raised the hopes and expectations of fans and spectators of the Bandits team in 2006.

NSSSA Provincials Begins!
‘The Bandits’, 6 (3) Patch, 10 (5)
5 minutes before kick-off, only 13 players were at the venue ready to take on the Patch Machine. Former Bandit Luke Siboe selflessly volunteered to use his car to get 3 more players from school. Thankfully, the referee patiently granted enough time for the absentees to turn up at the seething Patch cauldron. Patch sang their anthem and performed their version of the haka. To all this, William Boit loudly exclaimed defiance by shouting out the morale-boosting word “Nonsense!!!” as play began.

The Prescot Cup 2005 kicked of on the 11th of May 2005 and ran till friday 1st July. That year, the Bandits will be tried to make it past the semifinal stage for the first time in 7 years. The Bandits have also failed to win a match at Samba Park since beating the defending champions Dagoretti High (Ditches) in 2002. Bandits rivals St. Marys started as favourites, with floodlit champions Nairobi School (Patch Machine) hot on their heels and after a disastrous 2004, Lenanas Mean Maroon also hoped to add some silverware to their cabinet.

The Finals
Opponent - Nairobi School
Results - L 12 - 19
But we are sceptics! It is extremely strange how virtually everyone was predicting a cricket score fit only for the record books against out finest. Why are we so filled with such astronomical levels of disbelief despite everything?

By Samba Sport Correspondent
Talk about the worst that could happen to The Bandits in such a tournament! As fate would have it, this I year's competition coincided with the Kenya Freedom From Hunger Walk. Unknown to many in Nairobi, parts of the city including the precious bus route were subjected to periodic closures by stem though well-meaning traffic policemen. Despite the valiant efforts of the stressed out bus driver, the resultant traffic jams condemned the school's representatives to participation in the lower level Bowl competition for arriving late at St. Mary's - School. Explanations about the bus driver's unavoidable predicament thus fell by the way side as The Bandits were forced to wait for five good hours before playing their rust game at 2.3Opm.