May The Real Floodie Champions Please Stand Up

After two weeks of top flight rugby action, it is finally time to crown the 2014 Impala Floodlit champions in the three categories.

Brian Sagara of KCB fends off a Quins player. The two sides will be battling in the Clubs Final
Brian Sagara of KCB fends off a Quins player. The two sides will be battling in the Clubs Final

This year unlike the last, the defending champions from all the categories have successfully navigated their paths to the final. Ofafa Jericho, Blak Blad and KCB have a chance of making it back to back Floodlit titles at the weekend.

Ofafa Jericho vs Laiser Hill – 1:30 pm

Ofafa Jericho have been in impressive form this year, kicking off their title defence with a 27-6 over Moi Forces Academy. They then followed this up with a 43-0 thumping of Makini in the semi finals.

OJ boast of a water tight defence and are yet to concede a try in 160 minutes of play, only letting in 6 points in that duration. The defending champions will however know that they will be meeting the form side in schools rugby this season.

The boys from Rongai have also been in imperative form in their first appearance at the Floodies. They announced their arrival at the Impala club with a 22-0 blanking of traditional power house Mangu in the quarter finals. This was then followed by a 20-12 result against Mangu’s close rivals Alliance in the semi finals.

Though Laiser Hill’s report card so far does not look as impressive as Ofafa’s, the boys in black will be the favourites going into this final. Considering that they are the current Prescott cup champions.

Blak Blad vs USIU – 5:20 pm

Defending Varsities champions Blak Blad will come up against the immediate former champions and Thika road neighbours USIU.

Blak Blad begun their title defence in blistering form, beating TUK 46-10 in the quarter finals at the Impala Club. This as USIU saw off Daystar 27-3 at the same venue a few minutes later.

Lionel Lewa of USIU makes a pass against CUEA (Photo : Mid-Ego Fotography)
Lionel Lewa of USIU makes a pass against CUEA (Photo : Mid-Ego Fotography)

It was USIU’s turn to play the first match at the Impala club in the semi finals, ‘us guys’ pulling a 25-14 upset over pre match favourites and newly promoted Kenya Cup side, Catholic University. Blak Blad then beat the other side from further down Thika road, JKUAT, 29-12 to book this final date.

It is going to be a titanic clash, despite the fact that Blak Blad play in the Kenya cup and USIU in the Nationwide. There will be more than just the cup on the line, with bragging rights also up for grabs for the next year or so.

On the touchline, it is going to be a case of teacher taking on student, as former KCB and Kenya Lions coach, Michael ‘Tank’ Otieno takes on a player he has coached for both club and country over the years, Dennis ‘the iron man’ Mwanja. Mwanja has been handling USIU during this Floodies campaign.

KCB vs Quins – 7:30 pm

Defending champions KCB will be taking on an opponent that has broken their hearts severally in the past, the Kenya Harlequins. It however seems that the Lions have turned the tables in the past season, recording back to back wins over Quins for the first time in four years.

Both sides come into this final with three Floodies titles to their names. KCB’s titles coming in quick succession in 2005, 2007 and 2013. The last time Quins won a Floodies title, a certain Mtukufu Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi, was the occupant of the house on that hill. Quins titles coming in 1990, 1997 and 1998.

Just to get a feeling of how long it has been since Quins won a floodie title. A newspaper cut out from back then (Photo : KRU)
Just to get a feel of how long it has been since Quins last won a floodie title. A newspaper cut out from back then (Photo : KRU)

The two have had contrasting results on the way to this final, Quins dispatching Mwamba 30-13 following this up with a 20-3 result over Machine in the semi finals. The Lions were made to work a bit harder for this ticket. Two narrow comeback victories over Impala, 25-19 and Nakuru, 25-21 ensured their passage here.

Quins boast of a better record over the two weeks, having scored a total of 50 points while conceding 16 points. KCB also managing to score 50 but conceding 40 points while at it. Though this can hardly be used to gauge the two sides, given that they were up against different opposition.

As I had mentioned earlier, KCB managed to do the double over Quins this past season. A 30-28 win in the Kenya cup followed by a more convincing 36-6 win in the Enterprise cup quarter finals. So have those two wins finally seen KCB exorcise their Quins ghosts? Coincidentally, in the 98 final, Quins beat KCB 41-6.

These two don’t know how to play out a dull encounter, this weekend with a fourth Floodies title up for grabs, there is no way that they’ll start now. They have both showed great resilience at various points over the last two weeks to make it here.

Quins holding out the much fancied and physical Mwamba in the quarter finals, only to burst into life in the closing 20 minutes and claim that result. KCB in both matches, crawling from 11-0 and 7-0 deficits to claim wins against Impala and Nakuru respectively.

It could be said that the Lions have been balancing on a tight rope over the last two weekends and Quins will be the ones to finally topple them over. Indeed KCB can not afford another slow start here, as if there is one thing this Quins side can do, is shut down a game.

Others will look at KCB’s form as an indicator of their never dying spirit and a warning to Quins, that they should not get comfortable, no matter how much of the match they find themselves controlling.

I don’t expect many changes to the sides that took these two to this final. Quins will be looking to the experienced pod led by Tony Mutai, Brian Okwomi, Patrice Agunda, Edwin Aseko, Jared Owinyo, Kevin Keegan and Dennis Muhanji to take them to their first Floodies title in 16 years.

Brian Okwomi gathers a high ball against KCB
Brian Okwomi gathers a high ball against KCB

On their part the Lions will be banking on the likes of Curtis Lilako, Moses Amusala, Felix Wanjala, John Ahenda, Ken Moseti if available  and former Quins winger Allan Omuka to successfully defend the title they won last year.

The two also boast of some great young talent that should relish building their name under the floodlights. The likes of Williams Mawira of Quins and Billy Isabwa of KCB among a host of others who are set to be handed that chance.

So who will it be, for Floodie title number 4 at the end of 80 or maybe 100 minutes?

This match will be preceded earlier in the day, at around quarter past 3 pm, by the clubs category third place play off between Nakuru and Mean Machine. This a repeat of one of last year’s quarter finals where Machine beat Nakuru 24-15. This one is also set to be a cracker as both sides seek redemption after last week’s losses.

The days events will kick off with a Women’s ten a side tournament between Nakuru, KCB, Quins, Mwamba and Impala from 9 am. The will also be a girls U19 category which will impressively feature a total of 13 teams from Nakuru and Nairobi.

It will be action galore as we bring the curtains down on the 33rd edition of the Impala Floodlit tournament.

Collated Fixtures :

9 am – 12 noon – Women’s 10-a-side tournament/ Girls U19

1:30 PM – Schools Final : Ofafa Jericho vs Laiser Hill Academy.

3:15 PM – Clubs 3rd Place Play Off : Nakuru vs Mean Machine.

5:20 PM – Varsities Final : Blak Blad vs USIU.

7:30 PM – KCB vs Quins

 

KWISHA….Nimeruka Nje!!!!

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Poghie

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