Rugby: Oilers face KCB test as Kenya Cup shapes for playoffs

KCB playing against Nakuru RFC at KCB Grounds during Kenya Cup match. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Defending champions KCB and Menengai Oilers will face off in the pick of the fixtures as the Kenya Cup enters match day nine on Saturday.

Both sides come into this tie in fine form, KCB currently placed second with 36 points off seven wins and a draw while Oilers are third, just three points adrift after notching up seven wins and that solitary defeat to leaders Kabras Sugar a fortnight ago.

With playoff qualification already in the bag, the outcome of this fixture could determine who secures a home semifinal on March 5.

For KCB, they began the calendar year well, looking imperious in victories against Impala, Nondescripts and Masinde Muliro before Kenya Harlequin and Mwamba posed serious questions to the bankers, something that Head Coach Curtis Olago will be keen to rectify ahead of Saturday’s clash at home to the Oilers.

For Gibson Weru’s Oilers, they are, by their own standards, and in the eyes of many an outsider, having a blinder of a season and will look to recover from that blip against Kabras Sugar to pick up their first ever Kenya Cup win over KCB.

Over at the Kenyatta University, perennial relegation escape artists Blak Blad must pull a rabbit out of the hat when they face Kenya Harlequin.

Much as the varsity students are placed seventh with 14 points, the gap between them and second from bottom Resolution Impala Saracens is only four points.

A loss for the varsity side could see them slip into the relegation zone with a few games to spare.