Kenya Cup Is Here

It is finally here, Kenya’s and indeed the region’s premier club rugby competition, is finally here with us once again.

We have KICK OFF (Photo : James Wahome)
We have KICK OFF (Photo : James Wahome)

The 2014/15 Kenya cup is set to be the biggest one yet, it will feature double headers that will see two fixtures played on one venue. Friday night rugby makes a return this season, with those matches set to be played at the Impala club. The icing on the cake will be that a select number of games will be aired on Zuku.

Other changes to this season’s league see the top side after the league phases host both play off matches. Overall, I can say that this season we will truly have a full serving of top notch rugby, what with a chance of watching up to 3 matches a weekend!

This season the Kenya cup welcomes two new comers in Kabras Sugar RFC and the Catholic Monks, the first set of teams to be promoted from the Nationwide. The competition remains a 14 team affair, with Kisumu and Eldoret RFC dropping to the Nationwide.

The format remains the same as was last year, with the top four sides proceeding to the play offs, which will be held at one venue as I have mentioned earlier. Those play offs/semi finals will produce two sides who will play in the grande finale. At the other end of the table, we will be bidding farewell to the bottom two sides.

Over the last two years, the Kenya cup and top flight 15’s rugby has been dominated by one side, Nakuru RFC. The Wanyore picking up back to back Kenya cup titles and not losing a home fixture during that period, overall they have only lost twice in that duration.

It goes without saying that they will be firm favourites to make it three in a row and join a select number of sides that have pulled that run in the past. The sides being Nondies, Impala, KCB and most recently Quins.

The Wanyore will however know that the other 13 sides will be working hard to bring that illustrious run to an end. Top of that list should be KCB who have been their closest rivals over that period, the Lions lost in both the Kenya cup and Enterprise cup finals last season to Nakuru. On that list of challengers will also be the Strathmore Leos, Nondies, Mwamba, Quins and a resurgent Impala side.

The battle at the other end of the table, is expected to be between Blak blad, Mean Machine, Mombasa and the Catholic Monks. Western Bulls, Homeboyz and Kabras will be looking to make a decent charge at the top of the table to upset the traditional giants.

There will be some very interesting match ups on match day 1, with the new sides getting the best possible welcome from the top two sides and a clash between the black and the red.

Nakuru RFC vs Catholic Monks – (4.00pm, Nakuru Athletic Club) 

Defending champions Nakuru will have the easiest of starts to this year’s campaign as they host the Catholic Monks at the ‘Suguta Valley.’

The Monks who finished second in last year’s Nationwide are set to have a true baptism of fire. The side bowed out at the semi finals stage in the season’s warm up tournament, the Impala Floodlits. They will be looking to at least keep a respectable score line at the end of the eighty minutes.

The Wanyore have recently hit a slow patch, first losing to KCB in the Floodies semi finals then failling to convincingly dispatch of Machine in the bronze play off. They will be looking to get firmly back on their horse as their charge for Kenya cup number three kicks off.

KCB vs Kabras Sugar – (4.00pm, KCB Sports Club, Ruaraka)

Last year’s runners up, the Lions will kick off this campaign against a tricky looking Kabras side who have been nicknamed ‘Mancity’ due to their rigorous recruitment campaign.

Mancity have so far acquired the services of Kenya international duo of Nick Barasa and Edwin Achayo from Quins, they are joined by a pod that will know their opponents at the weekend quite well in Dennis Mukabi, Perminus Macharia, Geoffrey Meso, Steve Oluoch and Polycarp Luaki from KCB. Kabras will also have the services of Cyrus Watum, Charles Uhuru and Jasper Ochen all from Uganda.

KCB have also not been silent on the transfer market, bringing in quite a number of new faces in their bid to lift the Kenya cup for the first time since 2007. Nesta Okotch and Morgan Muinde join the Lions from Mwamba as do back row pair of Elly Mukaisi and Rocky Aguko from Mean Machine and Blak Blad respectively.

KCB in past action
KCB in past action

This one promises to be a highly unpredictable match up, with Kabras looking to make a statement against one of the giants of Kenya rugby. Former KCB players in Anthony Ogot and Arthur Shikwe who now manage Man City will be hoping to guide their side to a favourable result at a venue where they have had great triumphs.

Mombasa vs Strathmore Leos – (4.00pm, Mombasa Sports Club)

The Strathmore Leos will have the enviable role of travelling down to the coast to open their 2014/15 campaign against Mombasa RFC.

Away from the trip and the pleasantries at the coast, the Leos who were finalists in the 2012/13 season will be working towards going one step further and finally lift their first Kenya cup title. The side which opted out of playing the Floodies will be fresh and raring to go against a Mombasa side that finished 11th last season.

This will be the first meeting between these two in a long while, as Mombasa failed to honour this fixture last season. It is expected that the Leos will travel back with the full compliment of points, question will be how many points they can put past Mombasa. With the league this year poised to be tighter than it has ever been, the importance of points tally can not be emphasized enough.

Homeboyz vs Mean Machine – (2.00pm, RFUEA)

This weekend will see two double headers, one hosted at the RFUEA, with the other taking place at the Railway Club.

This encounter between Homeboyz and Mean Machine will be the first at the RFUEA. Homeboyz had a great run last season, finishing just a point outside the play off places. Machine on the other hand finished in 10th spot.

Machine in action at the Floodies (Photo : Mid-Ego Fotography)
Machine in action at the Floodies (Photo : Mid-Ego Fotography)

The last time these two met, the Djs were 31-5 winners, they will be looking for a repeat result at the RFUEA to begin their charge for a play off spot on the right footing. Machine on their part will be looking to get a better posting this season, and a result here won’t do those ambitions any damage.

Eschuma did show promise during their favourite tournament, Floodies, where they made it to the Semi finals after beating Nondies. Homeboyz failed to get past the quarter finals in the same tournament, losing to Nakuru.

Quins vs Blak Blad – (4.00pm, RFUEA)

Quins will get their 2014/15 campaign under way against Blak Blad at the RFUEA, the quartered shirts will be working towards their first Kenya cup triumph since 2011.

Last year, they managed to reach the semifinals after missing out on a spot in the previous season. A spot in the final at the end of the season, will be well within their sights. The side is fresh from playing in the Floodies final where they fell to KCB.

Blad, who finished in 11th spot last season, warmed up for the Kenya cup by succesfully defending the Floodies Varsities title. Tank’s charges will have their work cut out for them here, last time they met Quins they fell to a 54-5 result.

Nondies vs Western Bulls – (2.00pm, Railway Club)

The place to be this weekend, must be the Railways club with two mouth watering fixtures lined up, first up between Nondies and Western Bulls.

These two also met on the opening weekend last season, at the Jamuhuri grounds where Nondies emerged 24-18 winners. As you can tell from that result, there’s little to pick between the two sides, they were separated by only 3 points on the overall log with Nondies on 35 points and Echulusi on 32.

Last season, Nondies made a strong start to the season, winning their opening four fixtures before losing the next two fixtures, eventually finishing in 7th spot. They will be looking to keep that strong start this season and keep that going, to finally realise the club’s enormous potential.

Nondies taking on Nakuru last season
Nondies taking on Nakuru last season

The Bulls on their part made a slow start last season, characterised by narrow losses, they however picked themselves up backed by a strong home display to finish in 9th spot. They will need to deliver away from home this season if they are to better last season’s showing.

Mwamba vs Impala Saracens – (4.00pm, Railway Club)

The weekend’s highlight match will see two old time rivals in Mwamba and Impala lock horns. These two will have great ambitions for the season ahead, and will be out to make a strong start here.

The report card from the last couple of seasons show that Mwamba’s ambitions are a bit more realistic than the red shirts’. Impala are however upbeat over the coming season, now under the stewardship of Eric Situma who led Nakuru to their first ever Kenya cup title.

Mwamba will be welcoming back the Buffalo, Edwin Machanje who plays in his first Kenya cup fixture in 2 years. Expect a titanic battle between him and Impala captain Duncan Ekasi, throw in Flyer Collins Injera in the black shirts’ back row and you have a real match on your hands.

Mwamba have had the upper hand in this fixture over the recent past, blanking the red shirts 24-0 last season and 24-18 in the league the season before that. Impala however hold the latest win, having eliminated Mwamba in last season’s Enterprise cup after a 18-16 result. Who can forget that 65-19 result though, in the previous season’s Enterprise cup?

Past action between Mwamba and Impala (Photo : Kulabu)
Past action between Mwamba and Impala (Photo : Kulabu)

The two warmed up for the Kenya cup in similar fashion, both bowing out at the Floodies quarter finals. It is bound to be a cracking encounter with the likes of Sammy Oliech, Shaban Ahmed, Brad Odwako and Anthony Nyandigisi on show.

Time for my predictions,

Predictions :

Nakuru +60 over Catholic Monks.

KCB +30 over Kabras Sugar.

Strathmore +40 over Mombasa.

Homeboyz +20 over Mean Machine.

Quins +30 over Blak Blad.

Nondies +5 over Western Bulls.

Mwamba +3 over Impala

Remember, you can always share your predictions in the comments boxes below, otherwise do enjoy the opening weekend.

KWISHA…Nimeruka Nje!!!

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Poghie

A rugby fan having fun!

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