KCB Rugby, Nondies to face off in Impala Floodlights final

Nondies RFC staged a remarkable comeback to see off Kenyatta University's Blak Blad 20-14 in the closely contested Impala Floodlit semifinal match played at the Impala Club on Saturday, October 21, 2023.

Blak Blad was the first to score a five-pointer in the 28th minute through David Njiraini, and Kevin Karue added the extras to see the students take a 7-0 lead heading to halftime.

Nondies came in more determined in the second half, and soon it was Nyaenya Moseti scoring an unconverted try to bring the score to 7-5. Moseti's fine form kept going when he scored another try for the Whiteshirts to see the scores climb to 10-7.

Captain Ian Mumbwani then landed a third try for the Nondies, with the ensuing conversion sailing between the sticks to put them 17-7 up. Calvin Sheunda would then drill home a penalty to put distance between the Nondies and Blad; the score was 20-7 in seventy-two minutes.

Blad would continue to chase the game, with Karue converting Steve Odhiambo’s try to bring the score to 20-14 before the sound of the final whistle.

The performance saw Nondies RFC cruise to the Impala Floodlights finals, setting up a date with KCB Rugby next weekend.

Meanwhile, defending champions KCB Rugby sailed to the finals following a resounding 41-21 victory over rivals the Menengai Oilers.

The Thika-Road-based team was the first to score through Kenya 7s International Samuel Asati. Darwin Mukidza added the extras to see them take an early 7-0 lead. Mukidza would then score a drop goal that put the Bankers ahead by 10 points.

The Bankers' fine form continued, and they scored twice through blindside flanker Felix Ojoo and Kenya 7s International Festus Shiasi. Mukidza drilled in the two conversions to see KCB Rugby take a 24-0 lead into halftime.

They came in stronger in the closing half, this time with youngster Mike Wamalwa scoring a fourth try for the Bankers. The conversion attempt was successful off the boots of Mukidza, blowing the score to 31-0.

An infringement by the Bankers saw the Oilers awarded a penalty to try to raise the score to 31-7 in the 60th minute.

Wamalwa then scored his second five-pointer, with Mukidza drilling in the conversion to take the score to 41-7.

The Oilers responded with two tries from Alvin Khavoli and Jardon Abadon, with Tony Oketch adding two conversions to add some respectability to the scoreline.

Oilers will tackle Blak Blad in the third-place playoff while KCB Rugby and Nondies RFC lock horns in the finals set for Saturday, October 28.

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