Going gets tough for top teams as Kenya cup picks momentum
It was a weekend of misfortune for the Kenya Cup trio of Impala Saracens,
Nondescripts and Nakuru after they failed to register their first points in the season after the third round of action.
During a programme that coincided with the Jamhuri Day celebrations,
points galore were recorded with Nakuru being plummeted 62-5 by defending champions KCB as BlakBlad registered a shock 28-0 win over Homeboyz.
As Impala, Nondescripts and Nakuru were licking their wounds for failure to claim at least a losing bonus or a four-try bonus at worst, former champs Kabras, Menengai Oilers and Strathmore Leos were purring as they remained entrenched at the top of the standings tied at 15 points.
Ideally, what contributed to Kabras, Menengai and Strathmore assuming the top status is bonus wins they raked up in their respective assignments.
As for Kabras, they won their third match at home against Mwamba whereas Strathmore needed four tries to beat Impala with a bonus in a match that ended 22-12 at Madaraka grounds in Nairobi West.
Elsewhere in Nakuru, hosts Menengai were forced to summon confidence and willpower to whack Nondescripts 25-9.
Despite a comfortable eight-try win by Kabras, Mwamba still managed to score three and a conversion to boot to expose their opponents’ porous defence.
Mwamba were least overawed as their forwards made penetrating l mauls and intimidating scrum shoves that were a tad too much for Kabras.
In the meantime, KCB, spurred on by their fans at home, KCB enjoyed a 36-0half time lead against Blakblad before returning on resumption to win the lopsided encounter 62-5.
This was the same setting where Blak- Blad had earlier added a third successive heartbreaker to Homeboyz with a bonus
28-0 win.
KCB played their second fixture after a two-week rest occasioned
by postponement of their second round fixture while Nakuru faced the match on the back of a humiliating 31-3 defeat to Kabras Sugar at Wanyore only managed a try courtesy of Hannington Wabwire while the hosts drilled in nine, as well as, seven conversions and a penalty.
In a match played earlier, BlakBlad were uncompromising in the early exchanges as they registered a point after for a 20-0 half-time lead.
They would later return to score one more try and a penalty in the returning half for their first ever win over the Deejays.
BlakBlad coach Motto Williams said territorial play was to their advantage against a very gritty opponent.
“We had a play, and I’m glad we executed it pretty well. For me, I would be the happiest man if my players treated every match like a final. Obviously, we held sway for a lengthy period, but the worst the players can do is to relax moving forward,” said Williams.
Meanwhile, Kenya Harlequins ended MMUST unbeaten run in a 21-20 win at RFUEA grounds.
Following the result, the students are now sixth with nine points, four below fifth placed Harlequins.
Both sides were enjoying success going into the fixture, Quins beating Impala and MMUST shocking Nondies and Homeboyz, and it was always going to be a tight affair.
