Start Saturday teams roar for Enterprise Cup
The country’s oldest rugby 15-a-side competition - the Enterprise Cup kicks off Saturday afternoon across seven different venues.
Rugby enthusiasts hope to get reprieve in a different and elimination competition with defending champions Kabras Sugar playing host to solid Menengai Oilers at the Bull Ring, Kakamega.
Menengai Oilers will be a good pre-quarterfinal opponent Saturday whereby boss Gibson Weru lays his trust on the side that condemned Western Bulls 43-17 in last weekend Kenya cup fixture at home bolstered with three changes. Three players who started in that win will rest this weekend.
Home side coach Henley Du Plessis will be on his end hoping to learn from Oilers clash having conceded two tries at home against the Nakuru-based side. Two tries at Kakamega in 2019 saw Oilers become one of the four teams to score a try against Kabras in the Kenya Cup league.
Meanwhile Kenya Harlequin boss Dominique Habimana has recalled three players to start against Homeboyz in a repeat acid test at RFUEA just a fortnight after the Deejayz whipped hosting Harlequin 48-3 in a Cup duel for the tag of the biggest home upset.
Play maker Eden Agero and the forward duo of Lloyd K’Opondo and former Deejay - Edward Shitanda hope to boost the home side in their quest for the Ngong Road derby redemption in a different league having lost back to back to the Deejayz in the Kenya C776up.
Homeboyz on the other hand has rested three backs and a forward duo following a 47-5 Kenya cup win last weekend. Coach Jason Hector has rested the wrecking centre Maxwell Kangeri, fullback Michael Wanjala and fly-half Mohammed Omollo. Backrower Charles Omondi and frontrower Aaron Khalechi will be on rest for the Enterprise Cup per-quarterfinal clash at RFUEA Grounds Saturday.
With that, winger Leonard Mugaisi moves to fullback, speedster Collins Shikoli and Zedden Marrow will be the wingers of the day in a clash that could have the winner in line for a second straight Ngong Road derby should hosting Nondescripts prevail eliminate MMUST at Jamhuri Show ground.
Meanwhile 2017 champions KCB coach Curtis Olago has made 10 changes to the side that beat Harlequin 29-3 in Kenya Cup fixture last weekend. Oscar Simiyu, Curtis Lilako, Oliver Mang’eni, Rocky Aguko, Samuel Asati, Jacob Ojee, Brian Omondi, Peter Kilonzo, and Darwin Mukidza will not feature this weekend while Michael Kimwele will be a at the finishers bench.
Stanbic Mwamba, Impala and Blak Blad will wrap up the weekend playing hosts to Kisumu, Mean Machine and Western Bulls respectively.
Mwamba will host Kisumu at Railways whereas Impala will be hosting Mean Machine at Impala club whilst Western Bulls will take on Blak Blad in a vengeful clash to challenge a disrespectful 44-0 beating to have Bulls in a hot relegation Kenya cup seat.-Alex Njue
