Thrilling matches on the cards as 2024/25 Kenya Cup kicks off

The 2024/25 Kenya Cup kicks off on Saturday, 23 November with six matches across the country.

Kabras vs Impala RFC – ASK Showground, 3 pm

Kabras RFC will begin their 11th Kenya Cup season with a home fixture against Impala RFC, who make their return to the top tier after a two-year absence. Impala’s relegation followed a tough run, but they’ve fought their way back and are ready to face one of the league’s toughest opponents.

Kabras, the dominant force in recent Kenya Cup seasons, have been nearly untouchable. The defending champions boast three consecutive titles and a stellar opening-day record, with just one loss in their last ten season openers. They will be looking to maintain their dominance, especially on their home turf in Kakamega.

Impala, however, are no strangers to causing upsets at the Kakamega Forest. They were among the few teams to win there, edging Kabras 16-13 in the 2017 Enterprise Cup semifinals. More recently, they secured a narrow 12-11 victory over MMUST at the same venue, sealing their return to Kenya’s top-flight competition.

The Sarries come into this clash with momentum, having reached the final of their home tournament, the Impala Floodlit, where they finished as runners-up. With new head coach Louis Kisia at the helm, Impala is aiming to carry forward that form.

Kisia, who previously guided Strathmore Leos to back-to-back Kenya Cup semifinals after promotion, will hope to replicate his success with Impala.

KCB Rugby vs South Coast Pirates – KCB Sports Club, 3 pm

Both teams enter the competition with contrasting storylines: KCB is in a rebuilding phase, while the Pirates are navigating uncharted waters as Kenya Cup newcomers.

The Bankers are looking to hit the ground running after an underwhelming preseason. They were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Impala Floodlights by Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad.

The Pirates, hailing from Kwale County, are making their Kenya Cup debut. After a mixed preseason that saw them narrowly lose 7-5 to Mombasa RFC before rebounding with a dominant 24-3 win over Olympus RFC, they will be eager to make a statement. However, their journey to Nairobi; a taxing trip from the Coast could affect their performance.

Menengai Oilers vs Kisumu RFC – Nakuru Showground 3 pm

Oilers head into this clash with renewed vigor after winning their maiden Impala Floodlights title earlier this month. They will be hoping to build on that momentum as they host struggling Kisumu RFC.

The lakeside team has had a rollercoaster of a year, failing to honor some National 7s Circuit legs and registering an underwhelming performance in the legs played. They also parted ways with their coach Oscar Okaron, a feat likely to negatively impact their performance this season. But who knows, it is still too early to write them off.

Mwanja opens up on KCB's preps ahead of new Kenya Cup season

Blak Blad vs Nakuru RFC – Kenyatta University, 3 pm

The high-spirited students will welcome Nakuru RFC in what is anticipated to be a mouth-watering fixture. The Benard Rotich-coached outfit is bolstered by their performance in the Impala Floodlights where they finished fourth after losing to Nondies RFC in the third-place playoff. They are known for their grit and resilience, and it will be no surprise to see them register impressive performances this season.

Despite starting their preseason late due to school reopenings, the students will be keen to pick maximum wins.

“We've concentrated on fundamental skills and clear execution, visualizing game scenarios and our desired approach. Our focus is on mastering basic skills like catching, passing, high-ball situations, contact areas, and defense. Perfecting these fundamentals will be crucial for our success.

We're investing extra training time in our younger players to bridge the gap with the more experienced members. Our primary goal is to secure a home semifinal spot, which requires winning most of our games. By striving for excellence in every match, we aim to achieve this objective,” Rotich told Mozzart Sport.

Kenya Harlequin vs Mwamba RFC – RFUEA Grounds, 3 pm

The Quins have been in sleek form and will be keen to carry the momentum into the 15s season. They won the National 7s Circuit title before finishing second during the Kitaka 10s held in Uganda.

They have also strengthened their squad with some of the fittest men in Kenya like Joshua Chisanga and Emmanuel Mavala who will be key in their forwards department. Their mission is to perform better than last season where they defied the odds to the quarterfinal stage but went down to Nondies RFC. This time their goal is clear; to be in title contention.

Mwamba on the other hand have not had a good run so far and they will be keen to bounce back. They recently made sweeping changes in their technical bench, bringing in former KCB Rugby assistant coach Mark Mshila as their head coach.

Nondies vs Strathmore Leos – Ngong Racecourse, 3 pm

Nondies RFC will return to their beloved grounds hoping to pick up from where they left off during Impala Floodlights. They finished third after outsmarting Blak Blad in the third-place playoff. They will also be enjoying home advantage, which will be key in propelling them to greatness.

They will however be up against a tough Leos side who are known to not back from a challenge. This will add another layer of excitement to this match.

Match Day 1: Saturday 23rd November, 2024

Kabras Sugar Vs Impala RFC- A.S.K Showground, Kakamega 3 pm

KCB Rugby Vs South Coast Pirates- KCB Sports Club, Ruaraka 3 pm

Menengai Oilers Vs Kisumu RFC-A.S.K Showground, Nakuru 3 pm

Nondescripts Vs Strathmore Leos- Ngong Racecourse, Nairobi 3 pm

Kenya Harlequin FC Vs Mwamba RFC- RFUEA Ground, Nairobi 3 pm

KU Black Blad Vs Nakuru RFC- Kenyatta University, Nairobi 3 pm