South Coast Pirates coach reveals side's weaknesses in KCB whitewash

South Coast Pirates coach Kevin Amiani has outlined the setbacks that saw his side trounced 95-5 by KCB Rugby in their Kenya Cup opener played on Saturday 23 November at the KCB Sports Club.

Amiani described the match as an eye-opening experience as his charges grappled with the league's high intensity. Pirates struggled to keep up, conceding heavily in a match that exposed key weaknesses but also highlighted areas for growth.

Speaking to Mozzart Sport after the match, Amiani admitted that he anticipated the score, knowing they were playing against an experienced side on their home turf.

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“We have been officially welcomed to the Kenya Cup. It is a score that I expected. I knew it was going to be hard collecting a point at the den.

The scoreline is quite huge, but the effort the boys put in throughout the game was good. It is a starting point, and we have already seen where we are,” he offered.

He went on to pinpoint defensive lapses and a lack of composure as critical factors in the defeat. Pirates also struggled with leadership and cohesion, with players disorganized after conceding tries.

“We lost our defense from the 15th minute when the boys did not stick to the plan. We had lots of missed tackles, and by the time we were trying to correct that the score was already piling up,” he observed.

Despite the heavy loss, Amiani stressed the importance of learning from such games, noting that facing elite teams provides valuable insights for growth.

“We are here to learn. Teams like KCB and Kabras give us that opportunity because to be the best, you have to learn from the best.

This is a wake-up call for us to level up to the intensity of the Kenya Cup. By the third game, the boys will already be aligned,” he averred.

The team’s captain Kelly Akeng’o echoed his coach’s sentiments, praising his team’s effort despite the odds.

“It was a tough match, but we expected it. We got what we deserved, but we gave our all. Back to the drawing board, we still have another chance,” Akeng’o said.

The talented flyhalf went on to rally his teammates ahead of their next clash against Kenya Cup defending champions Kabras RFC.

“Kabras, welcome to Diani. We know it is going to be a tough one, but we are very ready for the next challenge,” he said.

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