Why Saturday's Kenya Cup final is 'special' for Amonde

KCB's Andrew Amonde (left) gets tough challenge from Jone Kubu of Kabras Sugar during Kenya Cup match at KCB Sports club, Ruaraka. Feb 18, 2023. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Former Shujaa captain Andrew Amonde believes this year's Kenya Cup final will be special as he seeks to win his sixth title with KCB against defending champions Kabras Sugar on Saturday in Kakamega.

Kabras will host KCB in the 2022-23 Kenya Cup final from 3pm at the Kakamega Showground.

The millers earned the rights of hosting the finals for the fourth season in a row after finishing top of the standings at the end of the regular season.

Amonde, who retired from international rugby after the Tokyo Olympics, said that despite achieving most of their goals, their loss to Kabras was a revelation that they have to dig deep if they are to reclaim the title they lost last year.

"The regular season was great since we achieved a lot of our set goals at the beginning of the campaign with one of them to reach the finals," said Amonde.

"However, the main goal is to reclaim the championship. It's not going to be easy considering Kabras are not going to let it go easy especially after they defeated us in Nairobi. This year is the biggest test for us to prove history right and we have to do it."

The two sides have met in five previous Kenya Cup finals - 2015,17,18,19 and 21 - all of them ending in KCB's favour.

Though Kabras won the most recent fixture against the bankers which ended 29-23 last month at the KCB Sports Club, KCB captain Curtis Lilako feels it's time for them to reclaim the title.

"We need to look at the mistakes we have made consistently in the regular season and reduce them in the final," said Lilako.

"It has never been an easy walk in the park for the team. We will have to work hard to try denying Kabras opportunities in our territory. In addition, we need to make use of any opportunity we will get in our strike zone."

KCB and Kabras have been the most dominant and consistent sides in the Kenya Cup, not only this season, but over the past nine seasons.

In fact, there has not been a Kenya Cup final since 2014 that has not featured the two sides.

This will be the 16th meeting between the two sides since they first clashed in 2014.

Overall, KCB have won 11 of their 15 previous encounters while Kabras have won 3. One match ended in a draw.

Kabras Sugar have two Kenya Cup titles to their name, lifting the trophy in 2016 with a 22-5 final win over Impala Saracens at the Impala Club and again in 2022 when they defeated Menengai Oilers 35-28 at the The Bull Ring in Kakamega.

KCB have eight titles to their name.