Menengai Oilers ready to tame Kabras in Rai Derby final

Menengai Oilers head coach Gibson Weru is optimistic his side will give it everything when they face arch-rivals Kabras Sugar RFC in the much-anticipated Enterprise Cup final this Saturday at the Nakuru ASK Showground.

Weru says the Oilers are ready to go all out in search of silverware against the reigning champions Kabras Sugar.

“We respect Kabras Sugar, but we do not fear them,” Weru said confidently. “We are looking forward to playing with power and purpose while maintaining our usual entertaining and fluid rugby style.”

He added that the team drew a lot of encouragement from their narrow 27-26 loss to Kabras in the Kenya Cup final two weeks ago in Kakamega.

“The boys are really proud of themselves. We came so close to beating Kabras. That performance has lifted the team’s spirits,” said Weru.

Kabras Sugar, under head coach Carlos Katywa, are aiming for their fifth consecutive Enterprise Cup title. They have not lost a competitive match since February when they fell to KCB, and they remain the team to beat in Kenyan rugby.

“This will be the first time Kabras and Oilers meet in an Enterprise Cup final,” Weru said. “It’s a huge occasion, and luckily, we have no injury concerns. We are preparing for a big battle.”

Weru believes lessons learned from the Kenya Cup final have helped sharpen his side, particularly in set-pieces and kicking.

“Our tactical kicking game will be key. We intend to turn their backline around and introduce as many decoy runners as possible,” he explained. “We’ve also worked on improving our scrum, which I believe will give us an edge.”

Reflecting on the Kenya Cup final, Weru noted that while his team was well-prepared, their execution in fielding and kicking fell short. “We’ve worked on those areas since then. The boys made a few costly errors, but we’ve corrected them. It’s all systems go.”

The Oilers are enjoying a successful season, having already lifted three trophies — the Impala Floodlit Tournament, the ESS title, and the Great Rift 10s. They now have their sights set on adding the prestigious Enterprise Cup to their cabinet.

“We want to keep improving and make excellence a habit,” Weru emphasised.

The final, dubbed the “Rai Derby,” will see the two rugby giants renew their fierce rivalry in a match that pits two brothers against each other — Tejveer Rai, the Managing Director of West Kenya Sugar (sponsors of Kabras Sugar), and Onkar Rai, the Managing Director of Menengai Oil Refineries Limited (sponsors of Oilers). Both companies fall under the Rai Group, chaired by Jaswant Rai.

In a rare joint interview, both Tejveer and Onkar Rai underscored their passion for rugby development beyond the scorelines.

“For us, it's not just about the win,” said Tejveer. “Kabras Sugar has risen through the ranks to become a powerhouse because of the structures we’ve put in place. We’re also focused on scouting and nurturing talent from the grassroots.”

He added, “We also try to support players off the pitch by offering them employment in our companies. After rugby, they should have something to fall back on.”

Onkar praised the Oilers’ progress this season and is confident the team is ready to challenge for glory.

“Oilers have already achieved their season targets,” Onkar said. “I know the players are hungry and want to lift the Enterprise Cup.”