Kabras Sugar Felix Ayange with Brian Tanga. Photo/RAYMON MAKHAYA
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 20 – With six Kenya Cup teams pulling out of the final leg of the National Sevens Series at this weekend’s Dala Sevens in Kisumu, organisers have revised the Pools.
This was forced by the withdrawal of big teams Nondescripts, Mwamba, Kenya Harlequin, Nakuru, Strathmore and Oilers citing political insecurity despite the County boss of Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o assuring security.
Series leaders Kabras Sugar will now face Daystar University, Makueni and hosts Kisumu in Pool A while Impala leads Pool B where they will fight it out with Kisii, Webuye and Egerton University.
KCB Rugby Club will take on Kenyatta University’s Black blad, Catholic University and MKU Stringers in Pool C as overall Series defending champions Homeboyz lock horns with Western Bulls, Masinde Muliro University and UoE in Pool D.
Title-chasing Impala Saracens and Homeboyz were initially thrown into the same pool as the race heads down to the wire.
Nonetheless, it will be an interesting end of season tournament especially for holders Homeboyz who will fight to stop Kabras and Impala to retain the title.
KCB in action against Blakblad during the Main Cup quarter finals at the Prinsloo Sevens in Nakuru on September 24, 2017. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu
After winning the Christie Sevens last weekend, Kabras are controlling the standings with 85 points, five ahead of Impala who are second while Homeboyz sit third with 78 points.
Kabras will assure themselves of a maiden Sevens title if they get to the final, regardless of whether they win it or not. Impala, Homeboyz have fate out of their hands and their hopes will be rested on who stops Kabras.
If the Kakamega based side fail to get to the final, then onus will be on the two sides to fight off to get to the final. However, if it will be Impala and Homeboyz in the final, the former will need to win to clinch the crown while if Homeboyz win, separation will go down to try difference.
“Fate is out of our hands and now we will need to go out there to Kisumu, play to get to the final and see what comes of it. We know we stand a chance but that heavily depends on others. We only hope the stars can align in our favor,” Impala head coach Oscar Osir said.
Kabras boss Charles Cardovillis is meanwhile eager to ink his name on the history books of the club but has asked his players to keep their heads on the ground and focus to ensure they don’t drop the pot at the doorstep.
“It is exciting to win back-to-back titles but we have to keep the focus, continue working hard and hope to emulate the same performance in Kisumu. We just want to get to the final and we are determined to achieve that. There is no easy team in the series this season so we can’t dare underrate anyone,” Cardovillis said.
