Nakuru, Kabras, Mwamba face play-offs jitters

What you need to know:

  • Champions Kabras Sugar, Mwamba and Nakuru face moments of reckoning as they battle for the last two play-off places in the Kenya Cup on Saturday.
  • There is also an enticing battle of giants that have the potential of leaving fans on the edges of their seats.
  • Kabras Sugar, who are placed fifth in the league table, will be acutely aware they are yet to secure their play-off berth when they face visiting Impala Saracens at the Kakamega showground.

Champions Kabras Sugar, Mwamba and Nakuru face moments of reckoning as they battle for the last two play-off places in the Kenya Cup on Saturday.

There is also an enticing battle of giants that have the potential of leaving fans on the edges of their seats.

Kabras Sugar, who are placed fifth in the league table, will be acutely aware they are yet to secure their play-off berth when they face visiting Impala Saracens at the Kakamega showground.

The sugar millers, who are still smarting from their last weekend’s 13-17 loss to Kenya Harlequin, will meet Western Bulls in their last regular season match.

Nakuru host leaders Homeboyz at the Nakuru Athletics before taking on stubborn Mean Machine from the University of Nairobi, who are battling relegation in their last fixture.

Mwamba, recent beneficiaries of a shirt sponsorship from Stanbic Bank, face a wounded Strathmore Leos in a do-or-die battle before winding up against Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB).

In the other clash of titans, Quins host wounded KCB, who lost to Homeboyz last weekend, at the RFUEA grounds.

Nakuru, the 2013 and 2014 champions, are placed sixth, the last play-off cut off place with 43 points, two better than Mwamba, who are seventh. Kabras Sugar are fifth with 46.

Defeats in their last two matches could lock out Kabra Sugar from the top six at the expense of Nakuru and Mwamba, who must win all their remaining fixtures to finish top six.

Nakuru have only lost once (14-33 to Kenya Harlequin) in their last seven outings where they have brought down the likes of Kabras Sugar and Impala hence good food for thought for Homeboyz.

Homeboyz might have beaten Nakuru in their last outing last season 25-23 but they have only previously beaten Nakuru at home once hence making the battle at the floor of the rift valley mouth-watering.

Menengai Cream powered Homeboyz too have been on the rise, having moved to the top of the Kenya Cup league for the first time ever since making their debut in the top flight rugby in 2012.

Homeboyz edged out Western Bulls 36-26 at the Bullring, Kakamega to move to the summit with 59 points that comprises 11 wins and three loses.

Thanks to Resolution Impala Saracens, who did them a big favour when they silenced KCB 27-24 in a pulsating duel at Impala Sports Club.

The results saw KCB dislodged from the top, slumping to third with 56 points as Kenya Harlequin, who beat defending champions Kabras Sugar 19-13, stayed second with 58 points.

Homeboyz have not lost in their last eight outings, beating among other big wigs Quins, Impala, Mwamba, KCB and Kabras Sugar.

Resolution Impala stayed fourth with an improved tally of 51 points followed by Kabras on 46 then Nakuru, who occupies the last play-off place with 43.

Homeboyz coach Paul Murunga noted that Nakuru’s inspiring victories against Impala (21-17) and Kabras Sugar (19-17) make them tough to beat.

“If we just beat Nakuru not even with a bonus point, then this will be favourable for us to top the league after the regular season since our last match against Nondies will be fairly easily,” said Murunga. “We want to move to the semi-finals automatically by finishing in the top two so as to avoid the other play-off.”

FIXTURES

Kabras Sugar v Impala Saracens (4.00pm), Kakamega Showground

Quins v KCB (4.00pm), RFUEA

Nakuru v Homeboyz (4.00pm), Nakuru Athletic Club

Strathmore Leos v Mwamba (2.00pm), Jamhuri Park

Western Bulls v Blak Blad (4.00pm), The Bull Ring

Nondescripts v Mean Machine (4.00pm), Jamhuri Park