Giant Slayers Blak Blad eyeing another big upset in Impala Floodlights quarterfinals

Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad are once again plotting another major upset as they head into this year’s Impala Floodlights quarterfinals.

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The students stunned five-time champions KCB Rugby last year with a hard-fought 9–8 victory in the fiery quarterfinals, a result that ended the Bankers’ reign in the tournament.

Their fairytale run, however, ended in the semifinals after falling 22–6 to eventual champions Menengai Oilers. But that experience has only fueled their hunger heading into this year’s edition, where they take on a struggling Kenya Harlequin side on Saturday, 25 October at the Impala Grounds.

Quins have endured a rough patch in recent months, losing up to 38 key players amid reports of unfulfilled agreements and player boycotts.

The crisis leaves the former Kenya Cup heavyweights vulnerable, giving Blak Blad a realistic chance of progressing to yet another semifinal.

Speaking to Mozzart Sport, the team’s head coach Benard Rotich noted that while the Floodies provide a competitive platform, the bigger picture for his youthful squad remains the 2026/27 Kenya Cup season.

“This time we have tried to focus on the fundamentals within the various skills, but more importantly, it has had to come from the group itself,” Rotich offered.

“We are building up for the bigger picture of the Kenya Cup season, that is our main aim. Floodlights for us are like friendlies to assess the little we have done for preseason,” he continued.

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Rotich also highlighted the team’s youthful energy, with a number of first-year students joining the university and integrating into the rugby setup.

“We have a good number of first years who just joined Kenyatta University for studies and have since joined the rugby team. Most of them are still green, but we hope they will be committed and be with us for their stay in school,” he noted.

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Despite facing an opponent in turmoil, Rotich insisted Blak Blad are not taking anything for granted.

“Every team is a threat. For us, we just think about ourselves and try to get better with little improvements every day,” he averred.

He further credited their progress over the past season to consistency in training, and an emphasis on mastering the basics.

“The turning point was our consistency in training, nailing the basics right within the structure and winning those small, meaningful moments in a game,” he said.

Having used the sevens circuit to expose younger players to competitive action, Rotich believes the lessons learned there will pay off in the long run.