Impala floodlit tournament: KCB roll Menengai Oilers to book final date with Nondies

Photo credit || KCB

RUGBY Impala floodlit tournament: KCB roll Menengai Oilers to book final date with Nondies

Mark Kinyanjui 08:34 - 22.10.2023

KCB brushed aside Menengai Oilers to set up a final with Nondies for the second year in a row.

KCB will be facing Nondescripts in the Impala Floodlit tournament final for the second year in a row after trouncing Menengai Oilers 41-22 at the Impala Rugby Grounds on Saturday night.

KCB started very well thanks to a Try by Shujaa’s Samwel Asati, who teared his way through to touch it down to give the bankers the lead. Darwin Mukidza successfully converted it to put them seven points up.

Mukidza would then put his kicking to the test in the 15th minute as he earned his side three more points from the penalty spot after an infringement by Oilers.

Felix Ojor would then score a successfully converted try in the 33rd minute, before Festus Shiasi also netted his own converted try to give them a comfortable 24-0 lead heading into the break.

Kenya U20 captain Michael Wamalwa then piled more mystery on Oilers as he netted a successfully converted try. Oilers just could not get going and were then temporarily reduced to 14 men when Timothy Okwemba was dismissed for a poorly timed challenge.

Oilers reduced the deficit with a well converted try, but Wamalwa scored his second converted try of the night to practically set the game to match.

The Nakuru-based side did, however, try to reduce the embarrassment late into the match, as tries from Alvin Khavoli and Elkana Musuye were well converted to give them 22 points.

In the other semi-final, Nondies held firm to deny Black Blad and earn a chance to get revenge on the bankers as they ran out 20-14 winners over the varsity side.

Black Blad drew first blood in the 28th minute through David Njirani whose try was successfully converted to give them the lead at the break.

In the second half, their discipline would cost them very dearly. Both James Otieno and Sirar Rugar were temporarily sent off for infringments, and Nondies took full advantage. First, Obadiah Moseti touched down the ball to give them five points, before making a second converted try all in the space of five minutes to give them a 12-7 lead.

Ian Mwanda would then score another converted try, before Calum Shirunda gave them a considerable lead after taking advantage of an infringement.

Steve Odhiambo, however, netted a converted try that gave them a fighting chance of coming back, but in the end, Nondies held firm to set a date with KCB.

In other matches played on the same day, USIU beat Zetech 32-24, while Strathmore brushed aside CUEA 37-10 as both games by varsity sides served as build-ups for the big night action.