Giant slayers Menengai Oilers face KCB in Impala Floodlit final
What you need to know:
- Hungry bankers going flat out for eighth title today
- Surprise package of the tournament swept aside seven-time champions Saracens and Harlequins
- Last season, KCB outclassed Oilers both home and away 27-5 and 29-20 in their Kenya Cup outings.
- Flanker Davis Chenge and scrum-half Marlin Mukolwe are out with injuries and have been replaced by Martin Owillah and Felix Wanjala respectively.
Menengai Oilers are ready to test the might of defending champions Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) when they face off in the Impala Floodlit final on Saturday at the Impala Sports Club.
It’s left to be seen whether Menengai Oilers, who are arguably the tournament’s surprise package, will uphold their fairy-tale run.
After stopping seven-time champions Impala Saracens in their tracks 26-23 in the quarters, Gibson Weru’s charges marched on to score three converted tries and three penalties to stun Kenya Harlequin 30-21 in semis last weekend.
KCB, who are on course for their eighth cup success, have been brutal in their executions after they thumped Homeboyz 38-14 in the semis, having blown away Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad 53-15 in the quarters.
"It will be a tough final but it's always good to gauge ourselves against the champions. We must really work on our defence and our concentration if we are to stop KCB, which is quite possible," said Weru.
"We were dominant in set pieces and open play. We carried the ball well and controlled the tempo to get the points hence that is what we seek to uphold against KCB,” explained Weru.
It is the first time for Oilers, which was formed in 2015, to reach the final of a major 15s event, having stopped hosts Impala Saracens in the quarter-finals.
YET TO NAME SQUAD
While Weru had not named his final squad Friday evening, KCB have effected several changes in their team that downed Homeboyz last weekend.
KCB deputy coach Dennis Mwanja said they can only underrate Oilers at their own peril hence are going to play a game of intensity. “These bubbly youngsters from Oilers have outdone themselves to reach the final and have nothing to lose hence dangerous.”
Last season, KCB outclassed Oilers both home and away 27-5 and 29-20 in their Kenya Cup outings.
Flanker Davis Chenge and scrum-half Marlin Mukolwe are out with injuries and have been replaced by Martin Owillah and Felix Wanjala respectively.
Owillah came off the bench while Wanjala didn’t feature against Homeboyz.
Wanjala will be at the bench with Samuel Asati getting to start at scrum-half while Stephen Osumba will be at fly-half.
