BY BS MULAV
Three semi-final slots will be up for grabs in the Bamburi Rugby Super Series as the group stages draw to a close today in four venues in Kenya and Uganda.
Only the Cheetahs have guaranteed their place in the final four, while the Rhinos have one foot in with both the Sharks and Lions breathing hard down their necks. Pool A will provide the thriller of the day when the champions host the Lions at the Afraha Stadium in Nakuru.
The Rhinos have already won two games with the Lions and Sharks having won a game each. Should Rhinos lose to Lions and the Sharks beat the Coastal Bulls, as is widely expected, all three teams will have won two matches in the pool stages and it will have to go down to counting of bonus points and aggregate scores.
Rhinos, who currently lead the pool, will be eager not to let this happen as they have their crown to defend while they are aiming to go down in history as the first team to ever win the coveted trophy three times in a row.
Sharks are firm favourites to qualify alongside the Rhinos at the expense of the Lions mainly because the Coastal Bulls have so far lost all their matches and don’t look like they will pose any problems to coach Mitch Ocholla and his side in this final fixture of the pool.
In Pool B the Cheetahs will host the Buffaloes at the RFUEA Grounds in a potentially explosive fixture. The Buffaloes will be missing the services of Sevens Captain Humphrey Kayange but the possibility of the Cheetahs giving their fringe players a chance to play will be a massive boost for the visiting side who are hoping to make it to the semi ahead of Victoria.
Uganda’s Victoria, however, has a daunting task against kinsmen Rwenzori who are yet to stamp their authority in the tournament.
In the Chairman’s Cup Champions Homeboys RFC head to Kenyatta University for the final group game while Impala will host neighbours Nondies. Mwamba, Strathmore, KCB and Quins currently head the two pools and are firm favourites to make it to the tournament semi finals, but Homeboys, Mean Machine and Chipu will also be fighting strongly for the few available slots.
