Giant-killers Nondies keen to dilute Kabras Sugar

Giant-killers Nondescript Saturday will look to add unbeaten Kabras Sugar to their list of victims when they face-off in a Kenya Cup rugby league match at the Jamhuri Park show ground.

Nondies - who have been on a roll this season shocking bigwigs like defending champions Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Homeboyz and Impala Saracens - will be hoping to beat Kabras for the first time in three years.

Nondies have effected only one change to the side that stunned Impala Saracens 22-20 last Saturday, skipper Fidel “Baboon” Oloo returning on the flank to replace injured Eric Okomo.

Kabra Sugar coach Henley du Plessis has kept faith in the side that thrashed visiting Menengai Oilers 41-5 in Kakamega last Saturday.

Nondies are currently placed fourth in the league with 19 points drawn from four wins and two losses while Kabras Sugar have won all six matches with bonus points to top with 30 points.

Nondies coach Willis Ojal declared that they are ready for Kabras Sugar adding that his charges are not going be cowed by the huge margins their opponents have posted in their last outings.

“We have proved that we can take on the big boys. We have done what we can and now it’s down to mental game,” said Ojal adding that they are out to starve Kabras Sugar of the ball and destabilise their systems.

Kabras Sugar head coach Henley du Plessis is fully cognisant of the threat that Nondies pose after they defeated\ KCB, Homeboyz and Impala. “Nondies are on a high and you can only underrate such a young side at your own peril,” said Du Plessis. “We are in Nairobi to fight for our points.”

Du Plessis said ball protection and patience on attack and defence will be key to their victory. “We shall weigh them down and stretch them in fitness. We must be clever not to give them penalties especially when they are in our 22m,” said Du Plessis.

Last year, Nondies went down 40-20 to the 2016 Kenya Cup champions.

KCB will be hoping to maintain their winning form away to Blak Blad at Kenyatta University while Mwamba will have a cracker against visiting Impala Saracens at Railway Club, Nairobi.

Kenya Harlequin are away to Mean Machine at the University of Nairobi grounds.

Nakuru host Homeboyz in one of the matches of the double-header at the Nakuru Athletics Club that will also see Menengai Oilers welcome Strathmore Leos.

KCB are second in the league with 25 points, having lost only one match against Nondies 27-22 while Quins are third with 21 points from four wins and two losses.

KCB crashed Blak Blad 70- 16 in their last Kenya cup outing last season while Mwamba will be eying revenge against Impala, who beat them 30-12 last season.

Saturday fixtures (All matches start at 4pm unless otherwise stated)

Nondescripts v Kabras (Jamhuri Park)

Mwamba v Impala Saracens (Railway Club)

Menengai Oilers v Strathmore Leos (Nakuru Athletic Club) 2pm

Blak Blad v KCB (Kenyatta University)

Mean Machine v Kenya Harlequin (University of Nairobi)

Nakuru v Homeboyz (Nakuru Athletic Club)