Rugby: Coach Weru rues missed chance

Erick Ombasa of Menengai Oilers with the ball in action during their match with Mean Machine at Nakuru ASK Show ground on April 5,2018Mean machine defeats Menengai Oilers 10-5 in the final of National championship .Both teams have qualified for Kenya Cup league:PHOTO Harun Wathari

After failing to guide his side to the Main Cup quarter finals at last weekend's Dala Sevens in Kisumu, Menengai Oilers head coach Gibson Weru said his charges were unlucky.

The Nakuru-based side needed a win in their final Pool B duel against Mwamba for them reach the last eight but a 17-all draw against the eventual winners proved costly as they were relegated to the Challenge Trophy quarter finals.

Speaking to Standard Sport on phone, Weru, an ex-Kenya Sevens and Nakuru RFC scrum half, said his side was unlucky not to beat Mwamba in a match that at one point they were leading 17-10.

He was, however, impressed by his team's display on the second day where they reached the Challenge Trophy final, losing 19-14 to University of Nairobi's Mean Machine after extra time.

"I think we played well but we were unlucky not to progress to the Main Cup quarter finals. We started the tournament on a sour note by losing to Impala and then bounced back with a win against Blak Blad. We were very unlucky not to win against Mwamba," said Weru.

"On the second day we played extremely well although we had a completely new side owing to injuries to most of our key players."

Unlike the 2017 campaign where they were regulars in the Main Cup quarter finals, this year has seen Oilers dip in form as they are yet to go past the last eight.

[Clement Wekulo]