The Cups go into the semi final stage this weekend with some familiar encounters on the cards.
In the second division of the Mwamba Cup, Webuye host Masinde Muliro University at the Webuye DEB. Masinde Muliro go into this one as firm favourites having beaten Webuye 38-0 in the Nationwide Western conference league earlier in the season.
The second semi sees Masaku take on JKUAT at the Machakos Sports Club, this will be the first meeting between the two.
Mwamba Cup Division II
Webuye vs Masinde Muliro (3PM, Webuye DEB)
Masaku vs JKUAT (3PM, Machakos Sports Club)
In the first division, defending champions KCB II face Quins II at the Lions’ den in Ruaraka. This is the third time they are meeting this year with the Arturos having won the previous encounters, 25-21 and 25-10 the last one being the final of the ESS. The Arturos come into this one off a 45-0 demolision of Mwamba II and are odd on favourites to get yet another win over the Cubs. The Cubs beat the Catulus of Strathmore 32-13 to progress, being defending champions this should be an interesting match up.
The other semi final sees the boks make the trip to the coast to face last year’s losing finalists Mombasa SC. Impala II got past Kisumu II 21-16 to book this spot with Mombasa benefiting from a walk over after Nakuru II withdrew from the tournament.
Mwamba Cup Division I.
KCB II vs Quins II (2pm, Ruaraka)
Mombasa SC vs Impala II (4 pm, Mombasa SC)
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| Ronnie Mwenesi in full flight against Strathmore. (Photo – Nondies RFC) |
The Enterprise Cup sees 25 time champions Nondies host mwamba at the red lion, this coming after the white shirts beat Strathmore 23-18 a side that was seeded higher than Kulabu.
Kulabu come into this one with confidence on an all time high after that emphatic win over Impala in the Quarter finals. The black shirts will again look to their talisman Collins Injera to steer them into the final. Nondies on the other hand are not any lower in terms of confidence having edged out pre match favourites and Kenya Cup runners up Strathmore to get here. Expect the Nondies to have made special arrangements to contain Injera having heard what he did to neighbours Impala.
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| Mwamba in action against Impala, the two men in the photo will be vital for the black shirts (Photo – Kulabu) |
This encounter sees two sides with a complete contrast in terms of their strengths, on the one hand Kulabu’s strengths lay in their backs while the game for the Nondies revolve around their forwards.
It will be interesting to see whether Collo is deployed at #6 again, especially against the more superior Nondies forwards. The last time these two met in the league Mwamba wewe narrow 12-10 victors.
KCB must be cursing their lucky stars or maybe thanking them for a chance at redemption, as they travel to the Suguta valley to face the in form Nakuru for the third time this season. The two previous visits had nothing good for the Lions narrowly going down 20-17 in the first then capitulating in the first half of the second to lose 21-7. The Lions already know what to expect here and this may work to their advantage, having been frequent visitors here the intimidating aspect of the NAC may have worn out on them.
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| Previous Action from the NAC between the two, this game will be won or lost here. (Photo – Nakuru RFC) |
The two sides come into this one off contrasting results while the Lions seemed to struggle against the Homeboyz to win 26-15, the wanyore were more comfortable in their 21-5 win over Quins.
Over the last two encounters the Wanyore have owned the Lions in the forwards, especially in the scrums, they will be looking to cement this dominance as they look to make it to their second final of the season. If KCB are to upset the form books and go on into the final, this is where they’ll have to improve.
The Wanyore are the definite favourites, not only here but are also primed to complete their first double this season. Their campaign has been built around their home form and it is this form that they will be looking to produce again at the weekend against a familiar foe.
My predictions, this time will cover all the three cups and are as follows:
Masinde Muliro by more than 15 points over Webuye.
JKUAT over Masaku by more than 5.
Quins II over KCB by less than 5.
Mombasa SC over Impala II by more than 7.
Mwamba over Nondies by 5 or less.
Nakuru over KCB by more than 10.
Thus my finalists are:
Masinde Muliro vs JKUAT
Quins II vs Mombasa SC
Nakuru vs Mwamba.
In other happenings, the draw for the 24thedition of the Menengai Oil Great Rift 10 a side tournament was held yesterday. Defending champions Strathmore headline Pool A and are joined by Eldoret, USIU and Masaku. Last year’s runners up and hosts the Menengai Oil Nakuru RFC headline Pool B with Impala top seeds in Pool C, the full pools are:
Pool A : Strathmore Leos, Eldoret, USIU, Masaku.
Pool B: Nakuru, KCA, Egerton, Nondies.
Pool C: Impala, KCB, Multimedia, Masinde Muliro.
Pool D: Western Bulls, Homeboyz, Catholic, Moi University.
Pool E: Mwamba, Mean Machine, Daystar, TUK.
Pool F: BlakBlad, Quins, Comras, Thika.
No clear pool of death, but D and E look tricky, with the teams being seeded at the end of Day 1 to determine the Cup quarter finalists, expect teams to take full advantage and record big scores when they can.
With that Ladies and Gents…let’s enjoy the great weekend ahead, have you prepared your fantasy league teams? Here we go..
KWISHA…..Nimeruka Nje!!!!
