Nakuru host Kabras in Kenya Cup action

Nakuru RFC and Kabras Sugar will transfer their current off-field hostilities to the Nakuru Athletic Club when they clash in a Kenya Cup round 10 fixture today.

The two former Kenya Cup champions are embroiled in a disagreement involving centre Walter Okoth who reportedly joined the sugar millers in the mid-season transfer window with Nakuru insisting he is still their player.

Kabras, who lead the Kenya Cup standings with 40 points, head to the match high on confidence having beaten Wanyore seven times in their 10 meetings.

However, Kabras coach Henly Du Plessis is preaching caution despite his charges carrying the favourites tag in the 4 pm contest.

“They (Nakuru) will try to disrupt us and stop our flow. We just need to be well prepared and be up to the required standards. They have been our bogey team for a while and it will not be an easy fixture,” Du Plessis said early this week.

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The last match between the teams ended in a victory for the Kakamega-based side who emerged 34-17 winners in Nakuru.

Nakuru coach Felix Oloo is likely to unleash former Kabras player Kelvin Kabole against his former employers.

Kabole, alongside John Theuri, Jackson Bitenga and Teddy Amunga, are the players who were acquired by Oloo in the mid-season transfer window.

Any slip-up for Oloo’s charges could see them relinquish fifth position if their cross-town neighbours Menengai Oilers, who are one point behind them, beat Mwamba.

Oilers face a Mwamba side that is seeking to get back to the playoffs positions (top six) and Kevin Wambua’s men will be riding on their 18-17 win over Homeboyz just before the festive season break.

“A few things have been working for us but we have to improve on our defence and set-pieces by ensuring that our line-out success rate is high. If we do that then nothing will stop us from finishing in the top six,” said Oilers coach Gibson Weru.

In Nairobi, the Jamhuri Showground will be the battlefield for the clash between third-placed Homeboyz and fourth-placed Impala.

Homeboyz, under the tutelage of South African Hector Jason, have named a strong squad for the fixture, recalling Kenya Sevens internationals Bush Mwale and Alvin Otieno who will start on either wings.

Having had a spell in Poland where they featured for Orchan Sochaczew, the duo of Joshua Chisanga and Emmanuel Mavala are back in the Deejays team but they have been named among the substitutes.

Impala have a superior head to head record against Homeboyz, having beaten them four times in their last six meetings. Mitch Ocholla’s side won 36-27 when the sides last faced off in the 2018-19 season.

Meanwhile, Wales will take on Japan and New Zealand in three test matches in June-July as part of their summer tour this year, the Welsh Rugby Union said yesterday, adds Reuters reports.

Wales, who reached the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup in Japan last year, will face the Brave Blossoms on June 27 with the venue yet to be decided.

They will then head to New Zealand to take on the All Blacks in Auckland on July 4 and Wellington on July 11.

“It will be pretty special taking this Wales squad to both Japan and New Zealand,” Wales head coach Wayne Pivac said.

“Going back to Japan for Wales will be a really big fixture on the back of a really successful Rugby World Cup for Japan as hosts both on and off the field.”