There's no holding back for Kabras Sugar, KCB
Rugby
By
Clement Wekulo
| Mar 26, 2019
Defending champions KCB and log leaders Kabras Sugar underlined their Kenya Cup title credentials over the weekend, winning their respective round 14 matches to secure semi-final slots.
With only two matches left to end the league phase, the two front-runners both hold a healthy 15-point advantage over third-placed Kenya Harlequin and are assured of finishing in the top two.
Kabras and KCB will now be exempted from the playoffs and are scheduled to host the winners of the two play-off fixtures in the semifinals on May 4.
The sugar millers have held top position in the 12-team standings since the opening day of the campaign and put up a resolute performance on Saturday, coming from behind to beat a spirited Nakuru RFC 34-17 at the Nakuru Athletic Club.
“I told the boys at halftime that we needed to speed up the game. I think Nakuru played well in the first half and they are a well-balanced team,” Kabras coach Henly Du Plessis said.
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“The substitutes changed a lot for us. Our plan was to run the ball from set-pieces and play the territory game in Nakuru’s half,” added Du Plessis.
Meanwhile, six-time champions KCB beat Mwamba 27-20 at the Jamhuri Showground, a match of two halves that saw the bankers dominate the first half while the second belonged to Mwamba.
“It was a fair result for us because we were trailing by a huge margin at halftime. I was a bit disappointed with our sloppiness in the first half but were able to recollect and played much better in the second half,” said Mwamba coach Kevin Wambua.
Newly promoted Menengai Oilers produced the upset of the weekend when they stunned former champions Nondescripts 30-17.
Consequently, the bonus-point win ensured that the Oilers avoided the axe as they moved to 15 points off the relegation zone.
In other matches, University of Nairobi’s Mean Machine beat their Kenyatta University compatriots Blak Blad 25-3 as Homeboyz lost 32-17 to Quins.