Champions KCB and Kabras Sugar will for the fourth consecutive time meet in Kenya Cup Rugby League final.
However, the two giants face-off in the final isn’t an earthshaking story. It’s what Kabras Sugar Rugby will do differently this time around to get the better of the Bankers for the first time in the final and capture the title.
Kenya Sevens winger Jacob Ojee touched down a hat-trick of tries as KCB Rugby dismantled a battling Menengai Oilers 35-17 at the KCB Sports Club, Ruaraka to storm the final.
Precisely, the bankers scored four tries, three conversions and three penalties to see off Gibson Weru’s Oilers who managed two converted tries and a penalty.
At Nandi Bear Club, Derrick Ashiundu also landed a hat-trick of tries as Kabras Sugar Rugby edged out visiting Strathmore Leos 36-19 in the other Kenya Cup semi-final.
KCB and Kabras have met in the last three Kenya Cup finals with the bankers carrying the day.
The only time Kabras reached the final to claim their maiden Kenya Cup glory was during the 2015/16 season when they beat Impala Saracens 22-5. However, KCB went on to beat them 36-8 for the 2016/17 crown and 29-24 for the 2017/18 glory. Then KCB would triumph 23-15 in Kakamega when the Kenya Cup final was played outside Nairobi for the first time.
The 2019/20 season failed to end after Coronavirus outbreak. But it’s the season that Kabras Sugar had beaten KCB for the first time 19-6 in Ruaraka. Kabras Sugar have made their intentions clear this season beating KCB 30-23 to top the regular season unbeaten.
Substitute Esau Otieno scored KCB’s other try while skipper and fullback Darwin Mukidza curled over the penalties amd two conversions. Substitute kicker Shabaan Ahmed scored one conversion.
Flanker Tyson Maina and second row Clinton Odhiambo touched down for Oilers with winger Timothy Okwemba making the kicks.
“We are getting better by the day and we hope for a good final against Kabras Sugar,” said Mukidza.
“We had many missed tackles and discipline issues in the game against Kabras but that will be rectified.”
Oilers were the first to make in-road in KCB’s territory to get a penalty that Okwemba put wide. Oilers were not clinical at their rucks in KCB’s 22m area with the bankers defence claiming several turnovers.
The bankers finally got their breakthrough after 10 minutes when Ojee went lose on the left wing to score. Mukidza was sure with the extras.
A bad decision by Oilers who were on offensive for an overhead kick proved suicidal when scrum-half Samuel Asati latch on the lose ball to initiate an attack through the middle. Asati too laid out second rows Nick Ongeri and Oliver Mang’eni as the ball flowed to Ojee all the way.
Mukidza converted as KCB led 14-0 at the break.
Mukidza opened the second half with a penalty but Maina would pull a try for Oilers to reduce the deficit at 17-7.
Ojee broke lose again on the wing to stretch the score at 22-7 only for Okwemba to strike with a penalty for Oilers.
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