As we all look forward to celebrating yet another year as a republic, the rugby fan will have a bit more to look forward to, with the Kenya cup match day 4 fixtures read like something off a child’s wish list.

I had to make sure that this was only week 4, when I looked at those fixtures. From replays of last season’s semi finals, to potential relegation deciders and the old farm derby on the cards,this one promises to be a real cracker of a weekend.
Potential Relegation Deciders
Last placed Bungoma Sharks will be looking for their first win of the season when they travel to Kenyatta University to face Blak Blad in a crucial relegation encounter. Blak Blad who already have a win under their belts will be out to give their survival chances an extra lease of life here. The KU students are currently in 10th place.
Both sides come into this one off heavy defeats, with the Sharks losing 86-0 to Strathmore, Blad posting a more respectable 40-8 loss at the hands of KCB. With the dynamic of this new system,a win for Blad here will all but guarantee them a spot in next season’s top flight, even though we are still in week 4.
The other fixture that could go a long way in deciding who stays afloat and who sinks at the end of the season will be played at UoN’s Kabete Campus. Where Mean Machine will host Thika RFC. Both these sides are yet to register wins with Thika having earned a bonus point against Blak Blad for losing by less than 7 points.
Expect this one to be a classic dog fight with precious points at stake. The Millars will be looking to erase the memories of that 97-0 walloping by Quins with a win here, with Machine looking to build on a promising display against Nondies, despite losing that one 25-5.
Mwamba vs Resolution Impala Saracens – 4 PM Railway Club.
The second of two matches at the Railway club will see 5th placed Impala make the short trip down Ngong road to face Mwamba RFC who are in 9th spot.
This match up has produced one winner in the last 3 league meetings, Mwamba RFC. The black shirts have posted some memorable scores against their opponents in the red corner, remember that 60 point win in the Enterprise cup? Last season, Mwamba were 40-29 winners at this venue.
After the derby loss on the opening weekend, Impala bring a 2 game winning streak to the Railway club looking to finally break that poor run against their hosts. They will however be without captain Duncan Ekasi, Sammy Oliech and Samuel Motari.

Nato Simiyu will be charged with leading his side on the day and will be vital for the side, alongside the likes of Dennis Karani, Davis Makori, Samson Onsomu, Vincent Mose and George Okowa.
Kulabu will be buoyed by their gritty showing against Kabras and will look to build on that display, more importantly, keep that run of wins against Impala going.
They welcomed back the likes of Tito Oduk, Edgar Abere, Lavin Asego and Humphrey Kayange against Kabras. Men who all know what it takes to win in the black shirt, their experience was vital last weekend, expect more of the same here.
KCB vs Pan Africa Strathmore Leos – 2 PM, Railway Club.
Current league leaders KCB host second placed Strathmore Leos in the early kick off at the Railway club. This is one of those fixtures that doesn’t know what it is to be dull.
The last 4 league encounters between the two have produced 3 KCB wins and a draw, that one coming in the 2012/13 season. The two last met in the 2014/15 Kenya cup semi final at the NAC, with KCB snatching a 24-21 win from what looked like a sure defeat. Before that they had beaten the Leos 38-17 during the league phase.
With both sides yet to test defeat this far, expect them to fight tooth and nail to remain unblemished. The Lions seemed to have added a new dimension to their play, with a bit of fluidity to their age old forward dominated route. The Leos on the other hand have added a physicality to their natural fluid play. Put these two together and you have a real match up.
The potential individual battles here are mouthwatering to say the least. First up is the battle of the national code captains with the Kenya 15s captain Brian Nyikuli lining up for Strathmore against Kenya 7s captain Andrew Amonde. Widening that scope, the back row battle will pit Adrian Opondo and Jared Owinyo against Elly Mukaisi and Peter Waitere.
Dennis Juma who played for the Lions last season starts at 9 for the Leos and will be facing off against Marlin Mulokwe. The two will be taking charge of the tactical play alongside Humphrey Owuor of Strathmore and Ken Moseti of KCB.
My personal pick in the individual battles will be one at the front row where Curtis Lilako will be facing it out against Eric Kioko.

These two know each other too well, from their time when we hosted the JWRT, when Kioko was captain. Since then, the marauding Leos forward has taken a hiatus and makes his return to the Kenya cup here, to find an equally lethal Lilako who has been in a rich vein of form.
As all rugby matches tend to go, this one will be decided in the forwards, an area the banking Lions have had an upper hand in the last encounters. You however feel with the likes of Nyikuli, Kioko, Owinyo and Opondo that the school Lion will be able to match their counterparts.
Kabras RFC vs Top Fry Nakuru RFC – 4 PM, Kakamega show grounds.
To complete last season’s semi final replays, will be the sponsor derby, with Kabras Sugar RFC hosting Top Fry Nakuru RFC at the Kakamega Show grounds.
Though only in its second season and 2 matches in, this one has shaped up to become one of the fiercest rivalries in the league. The winner in this one is yet to post more than a 3 point margin. Nakuru won the first league fixture 13-10 at the Kakamega show grounds, before Kabras registering a 15-12 win when it mattered most.
The two have had a rather shaky start to this campaign by their standards. Nakuru narrowly losing last weekend to the Homeboyz, to find themselves in 4th spot on the log with 11 points. 1 win, 1 loss and 1 draw see Kabras further down in 8th spot on an equal number of points.
Though it is still early in the season, this match up will be very vital for both sides, if not so much for points on the board then for momentum and bragging purposes. The two employ a similar style of play, anchored on their forwards.
Nakuru’s set of forwards hold the advantage in terms of experience with the likes of Sammy Warui, Edwins Makori, Isaiah Nyariki, Phillip Owuor and Martin Owilla. But what the Kabras forwards lack in experience they more than make up for in sheer size.

Newly appointed Kabras captain, Max Adaka will be looking to lead his team to victory in his first game in charge. The pint sized one man demolition machine, was in a class of his own in the side’s 20 all draw against Mwamba. He plau at his more preferred 8, for the first time this season, at times it looked like he carried this whole Kabras side single-handedly.
Alongside the likes of Ronald Musajja, Hillary Njilwa, Duncan Mwangi, Geoffrey Messo and Big Ben this Kabras forward pack really packs a punch. We’ll probably see Nick Barasa and Fabian Olando line up at 12-13 for the first time this season, potentially against Kelvin Omiyo and Edwin Okemwa, this my pick off the bunch in the individual battles.
If Kabras can finally use that Fijian bulldozer at the wing, then they will have a definite upper hand here. In the 3 times I have seen him with ball in hand over the 160 minutes I have watched him, he is one of those that can turn a match on its head.
Another potential match decider will be the battle at the half backs with Edwin Achayo probably returning to partner Brian Tanga against Martin Muita and either Geoffrey Ominde or Victor Shigholi. Whoever will be able to get their tactics right here will most likely take this one.
Total Nondies vs Kenya Harlequins – 4 PM RFUEA.
It is only fitting that on the day we celebrate the country’s 51st anniversary as a Republic, the highlight match be the oldest derby in Kenya rugby. Just a small fact, this derby is older than this country, the first one was played sometime in 1952 if I am not wrong, do the math.
As you grab your calculator, the latest edition of this derby finds the two sides separated by 5 points this far with Quins in 3rd place on 14 points and Nondies in 7th on 9 points.
The hosts are yet to lose a match this season, while Nondies have won 2 and lost one. The last 3 encounters in the league have seen Quins post 2 wins to 1 for Nondies. The quartered shirts have been on a resurgence of sorts since last season and more recently after that Floodies defeat at the hands of Impala.
They will not want that healthy run they have put together, that has seen them beat both Impala and Kabras, to end at the hands of their oldest rivals.

Nondies came so close to winning this encounter last season, and will be looking to right last season’s wrongs here. The two come into this one off victories, with Quins posting a 97-0 win over Thika and Nondies beating Machine 25-5.
These two are almost evenly matched on paper, especially when you look at the expected individual battles. Joseph Wachira and Raymond Kidiga will line up against Tony Mutai and Herman Humwa in an almost match for match lock pairing.
Ben Nyambu will lead the Nondies back row which includes Simon Ngugi and John Paul, with David Mogere on the other side leading David Ahawo and Peter Misango.
The return of David Ambunya for Quins could not have come at a better time, as in him they have a solid replacement for injured captain Patrice Agunda. Ambunya will line up at outside centre alongside Johnstone Mung’au, to face the returning Teddy Salano and Ian Were on the other side.
The most vital match up though will be the one at half back, the experienced Charles Kanyi partnering Marvin Sumba for Nondies up against Lyle Asiligwa and Kevin Keegan for Quins. The battle at full back also seems to be one to watch out for with the pocket rocket Pius Shiundu, lining up against the more tactical Fielden Sinei of Nondies.
This one looks like another closely fought out affair that might be decided by the two benches.Quins look like the stronger of the 2 in this department with the likes of Dennis Muhanji, Edward Aseko and Brian Okwomi. Nondies have George Odipo, Lee Ongechi and John Juma.
The other fixture will see Homeboyz take on Western Bulls, in another potentially explosive encounter, this one will preceed the Quins vs Nondies match at the RFUEA.
Collated Fixtures
Mean Machine vs Thika RFC – 4 PM, Kabete Campus.
Blakblad vs Bungoma Sharks – 4 PM, Kenyatta University.
Kabras RFC vs Top Fry Nakuru RFC – 4 PM, Kakamega show grounds.
KCB vs Pan Africa Strathmore Leos – 2 PM, Railway Club.
Mwamba vs Resolution Impala Saracens – 4 PM Railway Club.
Menengai Cream Homeboyz RFC vs Western Bulls – 2 PM, RFUEA – Live on Zuku.
Total Nondies vs Kenya Harlequins – 4 PM RFUEA – Live on K24 & Zuku.
What a fitting way to celebrate Jamuhuri day, don’t you think? Wherever you will be do have a happy one and more importantly do enjoy the rugby, thoroughly!
KWISHA…Nimeruka Nje!!!