Leaders Kabras Sugar, champions Kenya Commercial Bank and Homeboyz stretched their 100 per cent run to four matches in the 2019/20 Kenya Cup season on a weekend that witnessed upsets.
Kabras dismantled Nondescripts 40-15 at Kakamega Showground while KCB crushed Menengai Oilers 43-13 at Nakuru ASK Showground. The two bonus point victories saw, easily the country’s two top rugby clubs in recent years, tie on 20 points each in the 12-team league table.
However, it’s Kabras that maintained the pole position owing to a superior goal difference with KCB coming in second while Homeboyz follow in third with 18 points.
Homeboyz strolled to a 36-17 victory against Western Bulls at Jamhuri Park in Nairobi, a victory that keeps them three points ahead of fourth-placed Impala Saracens, who rallied to beat Mwamba 26-24 at the Impala Sports Club in Kenya’s capital city.
Despite losing to Impala, Mwamba still claimed a bonus point for not losing by more than seven points, a development that saw them rise one place to fifth on 11 points.
After the heavy defeat to KCB, Menengai Oilers, who had a good start to the season, dropped two places to sixth where they are level on 11 points with Mwamba but with an inferior goal difference.
Blak Blad’s first win of the season lifted them three places from 10th to seventh with seven points, one point clear of eighth-placed badly faded former giants Nondescripts and ninth-placed Nakuru, who are level on six points.
Nakuru’s first win of the season saw them climb two places from 11th.
Blak Blad trounced promoted Kisumu 31-3 at Kenyatta University while Nakuru beat visiting Kenya Harlequin 25-18 at the Nakuru Athletic Club.
Western Bulls and Kisumu dropped to 10th and 11th respectively after the losses. Bulls have five points, one clear of Kisumu.
Both sides have one win and three defeats but Bulls have an additional bonus point.
Struggling Harlequin, once the aristocrats of Kenyan rugby, occupy the last spot with two losing bonus points.
Winger Quinto Ongo converted fullback Anthony Odhiambo’s try as Impala Saracens came from behind to edge out Mwamba.
Nakuru hauled themselves from the bottom of the table, landing four second half tries to beat winless visiting Kenya Harlequin 25-18 at the Nakuru Athletic Club.
“We are trying new things at Impala and the victory is a huge relief for use coming after the loss to Kabras Sugar last weekend,” said Impala coach Mitch Ocholla.
“Mwamba came to the party and dominated in the first half but we turned it around in the last session.”
Mwamba coach Louis Kisia said his team’s systems worked with their defence showing tremendous improvement. “The last controversial penalty did us in,” said Kisia.
Scrum-half Samson Onsomu gave Impala the lead with a try that Ongo converted but that was cancelled when second-row Mike Okello and scrum-half Michael Chege scored a try each in succession. Fly half Tony Omondi was sure with the boot to put Mwamba ahead 14-7 at the break.
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