The second round of games this year will see an equally eye catching set of fixtures as there were in the first. The highlight for this one being a return to a venue that was last used for a 15’s match close to 7 years ago, and almost 9 years for a match pitting clubs.
The Chairman’s league University edition will see it’s first round of fixtures, as you can remember last week’s games were postponed. Mt. Kenya will have an extended break, they have their rest weekend as the other teams kick off the battle for the top 4 spots. 6th placed Comras (13 points) will host 8th placed Nazarene (2), the visitors as can be deduced from their points tally are yet to record a win, they will be looking to start off 2013 with one.
Third placed Stormers host 4th placed Daystar at the Triangle Village, the two are separated by a single point thus whoever slips up in this one will lose valuable ground as the next three sides are all on 13 points.7th placed Kimathi Dedans will host 5th placed KEMU university, at Kimathi, the two having a two points gap between the two.
Leaders Catholic University (20) will kick off the year against second placed Thika RFC (16) at their back yard in neighbouring Rongai in what will be the highlight in this division.
University Edition
Comras vs Nazarene (3pm, Kibiko High School)
Stormers vs Daystar (3pm, Blue Triangle Village)
Dedan Kimathi University vs KEMU (3pm, Kimathi Nyeri)
Catholic Uni vs Thika (3pm, Catholic Uni.)
The Coast edition will see three fixtures played out, Leaders Mombasa II (14) host Masaku who are 5th (10) at the Mombasa sports club. Third placed KEMU Nairobi (11) will be playing second placed JKUAT Voi who are tied for points with leaders Mombasa II.
These two fixtures look to go a long way in determining who will lead this division into the Play-Offs.
The other fixture sees 4th placed Mombasa Poly host (10) 6th on the log Pwani University (4) in the all MRC affair.
Coast Edition
Mombasa II vs Masaku (2pm, MSC)
KEMU Nairobi vs JKUAT Voi (1pm, Catholic Uni.)
Mombasa Poly vs Pwani University (2pm, Bamburi)The Eastern Conference of the Nationwide league will see Multimedia have their rest weekend, Egerton and the JKUAT cougars will have also have to sit this one out as the fixture pitting the two has been postponed.
Second from last Kabarak (3 points) host 6th placed Oryx (6 points), the Oryx fresh from the 26-0 loss at the hands of Mombasa.Mombasa who moved into second on 18 points host leaders Kenya Polytechnic at the MSC, Kenya Poly are also on 18 points but have the advantage of a superior points aggregate.
The other match sees 7th placed JKUAT Cougars (5) host 4th placed USIU (13) at their main campus on Thika Rd.
Nation Wide (Eastern)
Kabarak vs Oryx (3pm, Kabarak)
Mombasa vs Kenya Polytechnic (4pm, MSC)
JKUAT vs USIU (3pm, Jkuat)The Western conference will see the postponed fixtures from 3rd November and Last weekend played out. This means only two games will be on the cards, Maseno who slipped to 8th after last week’s round of games host Kakamega II in 3rd (17) after that surprise defeat to Kisii RFC.
Moi University who find themselves in 5th on 10 points will host Bungoma RFC in 7th on 9 points, Bungoma who lost 29-11 to Eldoret last weekend will be out to get back to winning ways.
Nation Wide (Western)
Maseno vs Kakamega II (3pm, Maseno Uni.)
Moi University vs Bungoma (3pm, Moi Uni.)In the Eric Shirley, second placed KCB cubs will host 8th placed Kakamega at the Lion’s den. The cubs who beat the Catulus at the same venue last weekend will be out to keep the momentum going when they face a Kakamega side that recorded it’s first win courtesy of a walk over.
The Catulus on their part will be up against Nakuru II at their madaraka grounds. Both sides come into this one off the back of defeats as mentioned earlier Strath II fell to KCB II while Nakuru II went down to Mwamba II at the NAC. Strath are in 3rd on 21 points with Nakuru in 5th, 3 points adrift.Impala II go into this game week in 6th and face Blad II who are in 11th at the Impala grounds. The hosts are fresh from the derby loss to Quins II and will look to get back into winning ways and keep a semifinal berth alive. Blad II on the other hand come into this one from beating Nondies II 17-13 they will be looking to make it two in two in 2013 when they take the Impala turf.
At the Jamuhuri grounds, Nondies II (7) will look to brush off that earlier mentioned loss when they host bottom placed Kisumu II. The two are separated by 5 points, bonus win for Kisumu II will see them tie on points with their hosts, that is if they deny them a point from this one.
Machine II (9) play Homeboyz II (10) at the UoN grounds, the two playing their first fixture of the year after they failed to honourtheir out of town fixtures in Kakamega and Kisumu respectively. The two are separated by aggregate points, Machine holding a 19 point advantage over the junior Djs, they are both on 9 points.
Leaders Quins II will look to build on their 6 point advantage at the top when they play 4thplaced Mwamba II at the…wait for it, Moi International Sports Center Kasarani. Quins II are on 33 points with Mwamba II on 19 points with a game in hand on the teams above them. These two will have the honour of being the first teams to play a 15’s match since Kenya XV’s hosted the Southern Spears in early 06.
ESS
KCB vs Kakamega RFC (2pm, Ruaraka)
Strathmore II vs Nakuru II (2pm, Strathmore)
Mwamba II vs Harlequins II (2pm, Kasarani)
Impala II vs BlakBlad II (2pm, Impala Grounds)
Nondescripts II vs Kisumu II (2pm, Jamhuri Grounds)
Homeboyz II vs Mean Machine II (2pm, UON)
In the Top flight, leaders KCB host 8th placed Western Bulls at the den in Ruaraka, the lions are yet to lose a match and dropped their first points last weekend when they were held to a 16 all draw against Strathmore. Western Bulls come into this one off a hard fought win against Machine in Kakamega. The Echulusi are on 16 points, 5 points off fourth and nothing but a win will do here to keep their Semifinal hopes alive.
Bottom side Blakblad will be at the Impala grounds as they look for their first points of the season when they face 10th placed Impala. The red shirts are still to record a win, their best result this far being the draw against Nakuru and will be confident going into this one. Blad will probably be looking at the Western Bulls game and thinking..”We can do this!” Word has it that Impala will be having a new face at 11…from across the fence, he even came off the bench to play against them last weekend, who is it? You just have to make your way to Impala to find out.
11th placed Kisumu RFC will be travelling to the capital to play 7th placed Nondies at the Jamuhuri grounds. Kisumu coming off a heavy home defeat to Homeboyz will be looking to get one over the red lions and record their first win of the campaign. Nondies are on the other side of the scale so to say, with almost an equal score but on the winning side. The rangers still harbor slight hopes of making the semifinals all they have to do is win all their matches, this one being no exception.
Homeboyz in 6th play Mean Machine (9th) at the UoN, both sides had trips out of the city with very contrasting results. Homeboyz beat their hosts 36-27 with Machine falling to Western Bulls 16-10. This one is bound to be a cracker, Homeboyz are on a roll with a Semi Final spot still a possibility they will be no room for a slip up. Machine on the other hand have had a good run recently, picking up points in their last 3 matches and will look to keep that run going.
At the Strathmore grounds in Madaraka, it will be the battle of second place as current holders Nakuru are hosted by third placed Strathmore. The Wanyore a point to the good over the Leos. This one the highlight match for this game week, both sides coming into this one off draws, Strathmore at KCB and Nakuru against Mwamba. Past encounters between the two have always been memorable, it will be remembered that it was Strathmore that beat Nakuru at the final of the Menengai Oil Nakuru 10’s..yes I know that is not 15’s. Nakuru are yet to taste defeat this season and will look to keep that impressive run going and keep second spot maybe even go top. Strathmore on the other hand also have an impressive run under their belts, losing one of seven, they will be out to fulfill their potential as confidence builds around the camp that this indeed could be their season.
The last match on the cards pits Mwamba against Quins at the Moi International sports center Kasarani. Mwamba who are in 5th 4 points below fourth placed Quins will have their work cut out for them when they host the defending champions. The black shirts are not short of confidence, as they come into this one buoyed by the result in Nakuru. Quins will also be in renewed spirits having seemingly overcome a rough patch at the end of 2012 to beat rivals Impala at the death last weekend. The quartered shirts will be looking to build on this result as their title defense gets back on track. Another great encounter probably this one also looks like it will go down to the wire.
An interesting fact from this one, it wont be the first time Mwamba’s Tito Oduk will be running onto the Kasarani green, in 2004 he led Quins onto the same field against Nondies who were then captained by Charles Cardovillis. Tito will be turning out for the black shirts this time, while Cardo as you might know is currently head coach of Quins, that match ended in a 23-15 win for Nondies. Tito will be hoping that he is on the right side of the score board this time, and maybe finally call it even with Cardo… (Info courtesy of the two gentlemen, asanteni sana!)
Kenya Cup
KCB vs Western Bulls (4 pm, Ruaraka)
Strathmore vs Nakuru (4pm, Strathmore)
Mwamba vs Harlequins (4pm, Kasarani)
Impala vs Blakblad (4pm, Impala Grounds)
Nondescripts vs Kisumu (4pm, Jamhuri Grounds)
Homeboyz vs Mean Machine (4pm, UON)
When Kulabu does take to the pitch on Saturday, it will be the first time they will be doing so under their new sponsors Pepsi that were unveiled earlier in the week. Details of the sponsorship package are still unknown.In other Happenings, the sevens squad received a van from Toyota Kenya early Thursday morning to help in the logistics of the team. I guess that means no more kit falling from atop the bus huh? Success attracts sponsorships..next stop Kenya airways watupe ndege..hii mambo ya kutravel na raia haimake it..watu ni mastar hehe..
Onto my predictions in the top flight :
KCB 35-12 Western Bulls
Impala 20-12 Blakblad
Nondies 35-10 Kisumu
Homeboyz 22-20 Machine
Strathmore 25-20 Nakuru
Mwamba 20-24 Quins.
With that ladies and gents, I know most of you will be heading to Kasarani so let’s see each and one another there (that was intentional..) till then..
Have a great one aaaaannnndddd…
KWISHA…..Nimeruka Nje!!!!