Kenya Cup: Battle for playoffs places dominates weekend action

Nondescripts, Impala Saracens, Mwamba and Nakuru face a moment of truth as the Kenya Cup enters the penultimate round across the country on Saturday.

The four teams will be battling for the remaining three slots in the semi-final playoffs with Kenya Harlequin having already taken one of the four slots in the playoffs.

Leaders Kabras Sugar and defending champions Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) have already claimed the top two automatic places in the semi-finals.

Kabras Sugar and KCB have 64 points each although the western sugar millers enjoy a better aggregate and are followed by Quins on 49 points.

Nondies are fourth with 41 points followed by Impala (40), Mwamba (39) and Nakuru (37) respectively.

It will be a battle of wits with a lot at stake when Nondies hosts Mwamba at the Jamhuri Park showground where the Red Lions will be seeking revenge against Kulabu, who beat them away by a margin of a point 13-12.

Nondies will then remain with an away date with Quins while Mwamba will play Menengai Oilers away in Nakuru in their last outings of the regular season.

On paper, Impala Saracens are favourites against relegation bound Mean Machine from the University of Nairobi as they clash at the Impala Sports Club ground. Impala claimed a slim 22-19 victory in the first leg.

Impala will next play in a cracker against Kabras Sugar at the Impala Sports Club while Machine will host Nakuru at the University of Nairobi in their last match of the regular season.

In other matches, Kabras Sugar hosts relegation threatened Strathmore Leos in Kakamega while KCB take on visiting Quins at KCB Ruaraka Sports Club. Kabras and KCB won their first legs matches 62-13 and 22-13 respectively.

Coach Tito Oduk has made three changes to the side that lost 27-20 to KCB last Saturday as they trail their guns on Nondies. Jonah Mbari has switched with Kevin Kerore at loose-head.

Hussein Yahya comes in for Louis Kisia at blindside flank while Joel Inzuga takes Elvis Namusasi place in the finishers dugout.

Nondies coach Willis Ojal has made four changes to his side that stunningly lost to Menengai Oilers 30-17 last weekend.

Ojal welcomes back captain Fidel Oloo at back-row, replacing Brian Amaitsa, who is with the Kenya Under-20 team.

Fly-half Filden Sinei replaces Martin Juma while Moses Begi comes in for Frank Ochiel at inside centre. Benjamin Marshall also returns at outside centre.