Lions Wrap Up League & Cup Double

KCB wrapped up the 15s double at the weekend with a 28-0 blanking of Homeboyz in the Enterprise cup final at the RFUEA grounds.

Lions celebrate Enterprise Cup victory (Photo : KCB)
Lions celebrate Enterprise Cup victory (Photo : KCB)

Having come close to the double last season, losing in both the Kenya cup and Enterprise cup finals, the side finally came good. Picking up the Kenya cup earlier at the weekend then cementing their dominance this season with that win at the weekend.

The final in itself had very little to write home about, it was generally a dull affair with both sides employing highly tactical approaches. On the day though it was KCB’s tactics that carried the day with Ken Moseti playing a pivotal role in the Lions side.

The Djs started the game in bullish mood, pinning back the lions and dominating in both possession and territory. Their inexperience at this level however showed as they came undone at crucial points, with their attempts thwarted by KCB’s defence.

Both sides were guilty of wasting opportune scoring chances in the opening stages with the Djs the guiltier party. Darwin Mukidza would put the first points on the scoreboard from a penalty, as KCB started turning the tide in this encounter.

The match would then fizzle out into a territorial battle with either side looking to play in the right areas. It was from one of these territorial plays that the game saw it’s first try. A turn over ball from a Homeboyz ruck so Moseti punt the ball to find touch on the Homeboyz 5 yard line.

Oliver Mang’eni would steal the resulting Homeboyz line out to stretch out and score. With the conversion sailing wide, the scoreboard read 8-0 at the half time break.

The Lions would be the happier of the two, having dominated the set pieces and dictated the pace of play for large chunks of the 40. They would however be concerned of a Homeboyz side that had in several instances stretched them in that half.

Max Adaka in action (Photo : KCB)
Max Adaka in action (Photo : KCB)

The second half would kick off with the Lions on the charge, piling the pressure on the Homeboyz defence. They would soon stretch their lead from a Darwin Mukidza penalty inside the opening 10 minutes of the half to make it 11-0. From this point the Lions never looked back.

A Homeboyz comeback seemed highly improbable, especially after they were reduced to 14 men, centre referee Godwin Karuga sending Elphas Etemesi to the naughty chair for 10 minutes.

Curtis Lilako was in hand to punish the Djs, his try from the back of a maul saw that score read 16-0, the Homeboyz were losing their grip on this match slowly. They however kept having a go at the KCB line, but again with little success, the Lions dominance at the set piece meaning the Djs were starved of any quality ball.

A turn over ball deep inside Lion territory saw Olando turn on the after burners to the line, with Omuka in support. The latter was stopped just meters to the line, the resulting attempt by the Djs to clear their lines was charged down with Elly Mukaisi reacting fastest to touch down, 21-0.

Homeboyz were still not taking this lying down, with a comeback now almost impossible they looked to at least get points on the board as they threw everything at the Lions. They were again caught out in possesion deep in opposition territory.

Collins Wanjala breaking close to the touchline inside his 22, chipping the ball over the onrushing Homeboyz defence. Elphas Otieno would then show the field a clean pair of heels, to pick up the ball almost at the half way line and cruise to the try box. Darwin Mukidza adding the extras for a 28-0 final score.

It was a highly effective and efficient display from the winners who scored with almost every visit to the opposition 22, especially in the second half. The Homeboyz will rue their missed chances, but will surely pick up the lessons from this final.

Earlier in the day, we were treated to great spectacles of rugby in the Mwamba Cup finals as Impala III and Kabras II picked up the division II and I titles.

Impala III saw the second division title slip away from their grip then get it back all in the space of the closing 5 minutes, against MKU Thika. Impala found themselves trailing 17-15 after having led all through to this point. With virtually the last play of the game, the side scored to grab back the lead and the Mwamba Cup division II title.

Eighty minutes could not decide which way the Mwamba Cup division 1 title would go, as the KCB cubs were tied with Kabras II, 15 all. The cubs headed into the last 10 minutes holding a healthy 15-5 lead on the score board.

Kabras however had other ideas, a penalty and a converted try with literally the last play saw the sides head into extra time. The two were still tied at the end of the first period of extra time, before Kabras broke away in the second, scoring 10 points off a drop goal and converted try for a 25-15 final score.

The action at the weekend wrapped up 15s action for the season, attention now moving to the 10s version. With the Nairobi 10s slatted for the 25th and 26th and the Kakamega 10s on the weekend after.

Collated Results

Impala III 20-17 MKU Thika

KCB II 15-25 Kabras II

KCB 28-0 Homeboyz

KWISHA….Nimeruka Nje!!

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