NAIROBI, Kenya, April 26 – Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) rugby team backs coach Mariko Mshila expects a tricky assignment against Northern Suburbs in their Enterprise Cup quarterfinal match on Saturday.
Mshila believes their opponents will present a different test to what they are used to, considering both sides will be facing each other for the first time in the 15s.
“There is never an easy match…it is usually about who’s the most prepared. Being the first time we have faced them in a 15s competition, it is not going to be easy,” Mshila said.
Regardless, the objective for the bankers is to lift their first Enterprise Cup in seven years, having already won it five times in 2004, 2007, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Even in their chase for this silverware, Mshila insists KCB’s mantra of ‘taking it one game at a time’ remains.
“As usual, we take one game at a time. The end goal is to win it but the short term goal is Saturday’s game,” he said.
Passageway into the Enterprise Cup semi-finals will have to be achieved without the involvement of key players who are on national duty.
Captain Vincent Onyala, Samuel Asati and Elvis Olukusi are in camp with the national sevens team (Shujaa), preparing for next month’s World Rugby Challenger Series in Munich, Germany.
up during the Enterprise Cup opening match. PHOTO/KCB RUGBY
Teenage sensation Andy Cole Omollo and Michael Wanjala are part of the national under 20 team (Chipu) who are contending for the Barthes Cup trophy in Zimbabwe.
Mshila believes the absence of the aforementioned is a blessing in disguise for other players who have not seen much gametime this year.
“Yes, it is an opportunity for other players to step up. Sometimes you don’t get that opportunity but when it falls for you, you have to take it with both hands,” he said.
Skipper Griffin Musila is expected to retain his hooker position while Emmanuel Opondo assumes the scrum half position.
Brian Wahinya will start at fly half while Felix Ojoo takes up his winger position; Bob ‘Juggernaut’ Muhati is expected to start at the middle of the park.
Other inclusions in the squad include Nelson Nyandat, Kolian Persian, Nick Okulo, Emmanuel Silungi, Davies Chenge, Manasseh Oduor, Peter Kilonzo, Levy Amunga, Jack Adero, James Ochieng, and Gabriel Namusasi.
The coach pointed out the need for experienced players to help the younger ones and debutants gel in the squad.
“If you look at the squad that has been playing throughout the week, they have been mostly first year debutants. They have represented across the board but for KCB they have been first-timers. We’ve got the gel but they also need some leaders to show them how to go about it,” Mshila said.
KCB began their Enterprise Cup campaign on a roaring note with a 70-3 demolition of Catholic University Monks last weekend.
They will be hoping to go one step better than last year when they reached the final only to lose 30-27 to their archrivals Kabras Sugar RFC.
