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The Nairobian

Rhinos eye history

Football

By By BS MULAVI | Jun 02, 2012

By BS MULAVI

Eight teams had their hat in the pot at the start of the Bamburi Rugby Super Series four weeks ago.

However, after a month of grueling tackles, fluid passes and relentless running, only two teams are standing out ready to unleash their best cards to clinch the lucrative cup in East Africa’s best knockout rugby.

Defending Champions Rhinos, who will be representing Kenya’s flag, take on Rwenzori of Uganda in what is expected to be a revenge match of sorts. Both teams carry along a bulk of their countries’ national team players.

Rwenzori hold the slight advantage of being undefeated in the tournament and have already beaten Rhinos in the group stages of the tournament three weekends ago. According to Kenya National team coach Michael Tank Otieno, it will not matter whether Rhinos lost to Rwenzori earlier in the tournament, because the Ugandans are always better on home soil as compared to away fixtures.

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It is common consensus that Ugandan teams are favoured by home officials on home soil, but that theory was quashed last weekend when Kenya’s Cheetahs franchise travelled to Kampala in the semi finals against Rwenzori with Kenyan referee Godwin Karuga but still ended up on the losing side.

Speaking to Feverpitch after their emphatic victory over the Lions in the semi finals, Rhinos head coach Eric Situma revealed they had a bone to pick against the Ugandans.

FULL STRENGTH

“We were not at full strength when we played in Uganda,” said Situma, who expects to have a full squad for today’s crunch fixture.

Rhinos are out to make history as the first side to retain the trophy for four consecutive years. Despite their success as the most decorated side in the tournament, the Rhinos have learnt to do it the hard way and their resilience in their last match against the Lions proves they have what it takes to hang on to win whenever they need to.

The champions retained the title last year after playing until extra time against the Cheetahs and Rwenzori should be preparing for a dress down until the final whistle.

Meanwhile, the Cheetahs will play the first match of the day against the Lions in the third and fourth place playoff. Both teams have come short of winning the title in the past three years and they will have to settle for a consolation medal.

The two teams met in the final day of the group stages this year with the Lions totally dominating the Cheetahs in a thrilling encounter at the Jamhuri Park ground.

Rhinos are the most successful side in Rugby Super Series history, playing in seven finals and lifting the title five times. They are the only team to have successfully defended the title after beating the Cheetahs 25-5 in 2010.

Rwenzori is the first Ugandan side to go beyond the semi finals in four attempts since their debut in the Bamburi Rugby Super Series in 2009.