Kenya Cup: Nondies thrash Kenya Harlequin to secure semifinal spot, Oilers through

Nondescripts RFC secured a spot in the semifinals of the 2024/25 Kenya Cup after a thrilling 38-22 victory over Kenya Harlequin in a fiercely contested quarterfinal match on Saturday 22 March at the Ngong Racecourse.

This victory marked the fifth consecutive time that Nondies had triumphed over Quins, having also edged them 26-24 in their latest regular-season encounter played on Saturday 18,January.

With Quins keen on avenging their previous losses, the stage was set for an intense battle, but Nondies proved too strong.

Nondies drew first blood through a penalty conversion by Bruce Odhiambo after an infringement by Quins.

However, Quins responded almost immediately, with the forwards working tirelessly to set up Frank Aduda for a try.

Faran Juma added the extras to make it 7-3 in favor of Quins.

Quins continued to push forward, but an infringement resulted in a scrum. Although they initially enjoyed possession, Nondies seized an opportunity to go for points, but Fidens Tony failed to convert.

A subsequent penalty by Juma extended Quins' lead to 10-6, only for Odhiambo to respond with another penalty for Nondies, reducing the deficit to 9-10.

Odhiambo continued to be instrumental, slotting another penalty to put Nondies ahead at 12-10.

Their momentum carried into open play, with Charles Omondi piercing through Quins' defense for the first Nondies try of the match, which was followed by a conversation by Odhiambo.

Quins were quick to react, with Richel Wangila crossing over and Juma successfully converting.

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They later attempted another three-pointer after a Nondies infringement but failed to capitalize.

At halftime, Nondies held a slim 19-17 lead.

Quins resumed play with renewed energy, quickly securing a try through Adam Mugo, though the conversion fell short.

Nondies hit back strongly, with Yusuf Abdulahi showcasing his physicality to bag a try.

Captain Stephen Odhiambo then exploited a lapse in the Quins' defense to score under the posts, with the conversion adding to Nondies' lead.

As Nondies found their rhythm, Tony Owuor further widened the gap with another try, Odhiambo converting to solidify their advantage.

The onslaught continued, with Daniel Okito capitalizing on a defensive error from Quins to add another five points, though the conversion was unsuccessful.

Quins struggled to convert their attacking efforts into points despite camping in Nondies' territory.

Their handling errors proved costly, and they failed to capitalize on late opportunities.

A final attempt to close the gap was nullified when the referee ruled a forward pass, denying them a converted try that could have narrowed the scoreline.

With the victory now behind them, Nondies will face Kabras RFC in the semifinals slated for Saturday 29 March.

Meanwhile, Menengai Oilers also secured their semifinal berth after defeating Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad 38-18 in Nakuru.

The Oilers will face KCB Rugby on Saturday 29 March at the KCB Sports Club.