Top Fry Nakuru RFC successfully defended the Kenya cup title at the weekend after beating challengers KCB 20-13 in an engulfing final played at the RFUEA grounds.
This was Wanyore’s second ever triumph in the league, and capped what has been a stellar season for the great rift side. That win at the weekend saw the side claim their first league and cup double, having already won the Enterprise cup.
The final kicked off on a cagey note, with the sides sizing each other. The lions looked the livelier of the two sides, during this period but it was the defending champions who had the first chance at goal, from a Javin Murayi penalty which sailed wide.
We would finally see the first alteration to the score board after 20 minutes, Darwin Mukidza kicking from a penalty to give KCB a brief sniff at the lead. Javin Murayi would level up things from his second attempt, five minutes later to level things at 3 all, as the game started to open up.
The Lions were growing in stature, prowling in the Nakuru half, but with little success. This would be their greatest undoing, and a period that they would look back at and regret. The bankers won a penalty within kicking range a little under 25 meters from the uprights, but opted to go for the line out.
Nakuru would successfully defend the ensuing maul and start their ascendancy in this one with 10 minutes to play in the first half. The Wanyore would start turning the tide and probe at the Lion’s line. KCB were ineffective in their clearances, often kicking into Nakuru hands with little or no pressure on the receiver.
It was such a clearance that eventually led to the first score of the game, an unconvincing kick was quickly gathered and the ball quickly spread to the opposite wing. Javin Murayi would be caught up in the oncoming rush defence, Brian Sagara judged to have taken out the full back illegally and sent to the bin.
With KCB down to 7 men in the forwards, Nakuru would win a scrum 10 meters to the KCB try line. Isaiah Nyariki would have the easy task of grounding the ball, to hand his side a 8-3 lead going into the break after Murayi’s missed conversion.
The Wanyore would obviously be the happier of the two sides with the late score and their growing influence on the match. Their scrums were again dominant, with their defence holding up during that period where KCB had the upper hand.
The bankers would rue their missed chances, and played with no cutting edge. They were however only 5 points behind and with forty minutes to turn things here.
Curtis Olago would throw veteran Dennis Mwanja to shake up things at the forwards. But it was the Wanyore who started the brighter of the two, what with the man advantage. They would miss a golden chance to stretch their lead, in almost similar fashion to KCB’s chance in the first half.
Nakuru would opt to go for the line out off a penalty perhaps looking to capitalise further on the man advantage. KCB would however win the resulting line out and clear their lines, the line out remained one of KCB’s strongest areas in this match.
The bankers would soon get back to their full complement and started taking the game to the Wanyore. A moment of magic from KCB’s inside centre Ken Moseti cut open the Nakuru defence, before he selflessly released Darwin Mukidza for the try. Mukidza converting to hand the lions a narrow 10-8 lead mid way through the second half.
The sides would continue trading phases, with the match now caged between the two 10 meter lines. Nakuru were however got more return from their possession, their ball carrys had more umph if you would. KCB’s chances were dealt a blow as they lost influential back row Max Adaka to injury.
The Wanyore were back in the driving seat, Martin Owilla going over from another scrum, Murayi adding the extras to make it 15-10. KCB would come back chasing the game with everything they had. A Nakuru infringement would see Mukidza make it a two point game from a penalty.
After battling to get into the game, the Lions inexplicably handed the game to Nakuru on a silver plate, complete with a golden spoon. A moment of indecisiveness from the KCB defence after a harmless looking grabber kick from Kelvin Omiyo saw Edwin Okwema ground the ball to make it 20-13.
Nakuru would hold on for the next 10 minutes, though with nothing new coming from their opposite numbers, it was done and dusted. The Wanyore had done enough to defend the Kenya cup title. Martin Owilla would pick up the man of the match accolade, a crowning moment for a player who’s ascendancy has been phenomenal.
Nakuru had that extra sting that KCB never had on the day, their key players all turned up for the big final while KCB’s never really stood up. The Lions were again helpless at scrum time, and had little in terms of reserves to look to. While Nakuru were throwing in Oscar Ouma, the Lions didn’t have that kind of influence from their bench.
The lions were tactically and technically inept, a short coming that has seen them fall when it really matters. If they do get this aspect sorted out, we will probably then see the full potential of this side.
A first double for the Wanyore and looking around, they will take some stopping and if things remain as is, their stay at the top of Kenya rugby looks to be for a while to come.
KWISHA…Nimeruka Nje!!!
