Kabras set to educate Leos, KCB welcome Oilers as Kenya cup playoffs take centre stage
The stage is set for the Kenya Cup semi-finals stage with two fixtures on the cards on Saturday 28 August 2021.
Title contenders Kabras Sugar, top of the log at the close of the league phase, will be at home to fourth place Strathmore Leos at the Nandi Bears Club in Nandi County.
The second semi-final will see Kenya cup defending champions KCB who were second at the close of the league phase taking on third placed Menengai Oilers at the KCB Sports Club in Ruaraka.
Varsity side Leos had on Monday cried foul, claiming that the Kenya Rugby Union were out to lock them out of the semis slot despite their hard-earned qualification.
The Varsity side and Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) were at loggerheads, with Leo’s head coach Louis Kisia threatening to storm the Kenya Rugby Union offices on Monday, claiming the union had a motive of taking away their playoff semi-final berth.
However, the row between the two teams seems settled, with Leos shifting focus to the final fixture of the season against a homeless Mwamba RFC at the RFUEA grounds.
Heading to the playoffs stage, KCB RFC will be keen with the competition a well-oiled Menengai Oilers offer, given the last time these two teams met, the bankers were lucky to record a close 22-19 win over the young side.
Oilers coached by former Kenya sevens speedster Gibson Weru will be a force to reckon given their impressive results in the just concluded regular season.
The second playoffs that pits Kabras against Leos could be in favour of the sugar men on paper, but the students have been impressive in their last four games that has seen them displace Kenya Harlequins to scoop a playoff berth.
The winners of the semi-final fixtures will clash in the final on Saturday 4 September 2021 with KCB and Kabras likely to meet again in a final that is expected to be a tantalising one.
However, there will be no relegation nor promotion in this season's Kenya cup league due to the effects brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving most teams with no finances to honour games.
Kabras will rely on the inclusion of Fijian Jonah Kubu, speedy winger Derrick Ashiundu and former Kenya sevens star Felix Ayange who have been impressive for both club and country.
Kenya's rugby union resorted to this decision early this year following the rising COVID-19 cases in the country, which brought a standstill to nearly all sporting disciplines globally.
The finals will be played the first weekend of September, with both matches kicking off at 2.00pm EAT.
The Kenya Cup is the top tier club rugby union competition in Kenya, organized by the Kenya Rugby Union.
