Menengai Oilers ready for Kabras
Kenya Cup finalist Menengai Oilers head coach Gibson Weru is aware of the physicality and competition Kabras brings but says the team is mentally and physically ready to fight for the much coveted title.
According to Weru, the boys are ready to replicate the positive results they have been recording despite injuries that have shaken the team to the core.
“Coming to this game, obvious we are a bit nervous because it is the first time for the boys and also a series of injuries that has really shaken us to the core, but my boys will play as a unit heading to the final,” Weru said.
Oilers played the game of their lives last weekend at the KCB Sports Ground beating the host club KCB RFC 24-17 to set up a thrilling final against equal opponent Kabras Sugar.
It was a shocking result to defending champions KCB who have dominated the league scene with five titles to their name and winning the last four titles back to back.
The former Kenya Sevens player further said it was the hunger of his team to reach the finals that led to the historic win at the expense of the defending champions who have dominated the local rugby scene for almost a decade, scooping five titles in an impressive show of might.
“My players were impressive and the hunger to win against the defending champions in the semifinals made us giant slayers.
Man of the match
Our man of the match Geoffrey Ominde is a player who is underrated but really stands up when it matters like today,” Weru said.
Man of the match in the Kenya cup semifinal Geoffrey Ominde also challenged his side to play for the badge in their quest to win their first ever Kenya Cup title when they take on 2016 Kenya Cup champions Kabras Sugar at the Bull Ring Grounds in Kakamega this weekend.
Ominde scored eight penalties, the most this season in a single match in the semi-finals on their way to the Kenya cup final and ending KCB’s seven-year reign.
The talented utility that previously played for Nakuru RFC says despite being a young team, they have what it takes to defeat Kabras who have reached each and every Kenya cup final since 2016.
“Winning against Kabras will be a big one having in mind we lost against them 32-17 in the regular season. I know for sure Coach Weru won’t change much but work on improving on what is working for us and make sure we do better than in our last encounter which was against an equal opponent,” Ominde said.
Oilers will now take on 2016 Kenya Cup champion Kabras Sugar in the final due on March 12 in Nakuru.
On the other hand, the sugar men had to dig deep to edge out the visiting Varsity side Strathmore Leo’s 29-9 at the Kakamega Show ground to storm to their seventh Kenya Cup final.
Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) has since moved the much awaited final from ASK Show ground to Kakamega Bull Ring Ground, the home of Kabras Sugar.
The showdown will be preceded by the women’s final pitting Yamanashi Impala Saracens against Mwamba.
