Assistant coach John Asila has guided Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) RFC to within reach of a historic Kenya Cup promotion after a 2017-18 season where the team went unbeaten in the Nationwide League. The Kakamega-based side secured second place in the 2019-2020 Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) Championship, earning 15 wins from 16 matches and 67 points to qualify for a semifinal playoff.
Asila, who joined MMUST six years ago, credited the team's transformation from Nationwide League participants to top-tier contenders to sustained effort. 'A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work,' he said. The 40-year-old coach highlighted the 2017-18 campaign as pivotal, when MMUST achieved an unbeaten season to earn promotion to the KRU Championship.
In their debut season in the KRU Championship, MMUST finished fifth in 2018, then improved to second place in 2019-20. They defeated relegated Kenya Cup sides like Mean Machine during the 2019-20 season, though they lost their only match of the regular season to Strathmore Leos. Asila emphasized the team's resilience against regional powerhouses such as Western Bulls and Kabras Sugar.
The semifinal against the winner of the Mean Machine-Egerton Wasps quarterfinal will determine MMUST's fate in the promotion race. Asila remains confident in the team's prospects, stating, 'When things return to normal, I believe we will pick from where we left.' The 2021 season's outcome depends on the resumption of sports after the coronavirus pandemic halted play during the playoff stages.
Asila's rugby career spans Kakamega High, Ulinzi RFC, and Western Bulls before transitioning to coaching. He served as Kenya's under-19 assistant coach from 2011 to 2012 and worked as a development officer in the Western Region.
