Winning start for reigning Kenya Cup champions Kabras Sugar and KCB RFC

Winning start for reigning Kenya Cup champions Kabras Sugar and KCB RFC

Kenya Cup favourites Kabras Sugar and KCB Rugby yesterday picked routine bonus point wins as the new 2022-2023 season kicked off across the country.

In Kakamega, defending champions Kabras Sugar gave newbies Catholic University of Eastern Africa (Catholic Monks) a rude welcome after thrashing them 40-13 in a one-sided match staged at the Kakamega Showground.

Sam Omollo gave the visitors a narrow 3-0 lead inside the opening minutes after converting a penalty before Kabras responded with two quick-fire tries that saw them lead 12-3.

First, Patrick Lumumba dived over the white wash before South African Ntabeni Dukisa added the extras for a 7-3 lead that would be quickly followed by Paul Abuto's unconverted try that pushed the scores for Kabras above the double figures.

Abuto and Lumumba would grab their braces minutes later before Barry Robinson joined the score sheet for a 33-3 halftime lead.

The sugar men resumed the final half with a try from Victor 'Big Cat' Were that Valerian Tendwa easily converted for a 40-3 lead.

Monks would respond through another Omollo penalty before later scoring their first try that was converted in a 40-13 defeat.

AT KCB Sports Club, Kenyan international Darwin Mukidza, Oscar Simiyu, Elphas Adunga, Jacob Ojee, Felix Ojow and Davis Chenge all scored as former champion KCB began the season on the front foot.

Mukidza put the bankers ahead with a try after four minutes of play, Isaac Njoroge converting for a 7-0 lead before the bankers went 12-0 up through Felix Ojow's unconverted try.

Quins would take the game to KCB but were guilty of indecision in the final third and eventually conceded a third try when Oscar Simiyu reacted quickest to a loose ball after an Ojow line break to score under the posts, Njoroge converting for a 19-0 score that KCB took to half time.

Elphas Adunga, having a blinder of a match all afternoon, went over the chalk after the restart to take KCB to 24-0 before further tries from Jacob Ojee, Davies peppered with conversions from Njoroge and Mukidza sealed the result.

At RFUEA Grounds, new Homeboyz coach Oscar Okaron began his reign positively after picking a narrow 19-13 win over Mwamba.

At the same time, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) were hammered 23-21 by Strathmore University as Kenyatta University's Blak Blad hit Top Fry Nakuru 34-8.