Top guns bolster squads ahead of new season
What you need to know:
- Cardovillis said the move not to extend Fijians contract was deliberate since he wants to develop local talent.
Top guns Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) and Kabras Sugar are zeroing in on key signings ahead of the 2017/2018 rugby 15s season starting with the Impala Floodlit on November 5 in Nairobi.
Kenya Cup and Enterprise Cup champions Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) are leaving nothing to chance as they target Strathmore flankers, former Kenya Simbas skipper and flanker Brian Nyikuli and Adrian “Ade” Opondo.
“We have a large pool of new players who are training with us but Nyikuli and Opondo have shown potential,” said KCB team manager Ronnie Kangeta.
“There are many demands from most of these players’ parent clubs but all will depend on our financial capability.”
Kangeta said the signing of Nyikuli and Opondo will bring competition in the club especially at back-row.
Kabras Sugar, who relinquished their Kenya Cup title last season to KCB, have offloaded all the Fijian trio of Lekima Kuidraki, Jone Kubu and Sava Racigi, who had featured for them in the last three years.
Former Kenya Harlequin director of rugby Charles Cardovillis, who is now in charge at Kabras, is eying key signings including prop Bramwel Mayaka and lock Andrew Chogo from Homeboyz to tighten his tight five.
Cardovillis also wants to strengthen his kicking department at flyhalf and fullback with the signing of Kevin Keegan and Kelly Akengó from Quins.
Cardovillis is also targeting Uganda Heathens prop Asumani Mugerwa and Nakuru hooker Coleman Were to bolster his front-row and flankers Charlton Mokua (Kisii) and Mike Okombe (Nakuru) to tighten his back-row.
Nakuru’s scrum-half Victor Shigholi and centre Kelvin Omiyo have also been training with Kabras Sugar, who will be eying to reclaim the Kenya Cup title. Kabras Sugar also lost to KCB in the Enterprise Cup final.
“We are yet to sign most of these players since we are still negotiating with their parent clubs,” said Cardovillis, who is fresh from guiding Kabras Sugar to National Sevens Series victory after only six months at the helm. \
DEVELOP LOCAL TALENT
Cardovillis said the move not to extend Fijians contract was deliberate since he wants to develop local talent.
“Western Kenya is rich with rugby talent and it manifested clearly during the Sevens Series,” said Cardovillis.
Cardovillis said they will not participate in the Impala Floodlit tournament as their focus is solely on trying to reclaim the Kenya Cup title.
The 2017/2018 Kenya Cup season starts on November 25.
KCB turned on an astute defensive display to beat champions Kabras 36-8 and lift the 2016/2017 Kenya Cup league title at the KCB Ruaraka grounds on April 22.
A month later, KCB claimed their sixth Enterprise Cup title when they rallied from 10-0 down to silence Kabras Sugar 27-23 in a thrilling final at the RFUEA grounds.
