Kabras down Nondies, Mwamba stun Impala

Strathmore Leos players (in blue) tackle their opponents Menengai Oilers in a Kenya Cup Rugby League match at Nakuru Athletics Club on January 19, 2018. PHOTO | FRANCIS MUREITHI |

What you need to know:

  • Kabras Sugar closed shop in the first half as they scored all their points in the session, eight tries and two conversions, to silence Nondies who had previously stunned bigwigs Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Homeboyz and Impala Saracens.

Ugandan international fullback Philip Wokorach landed a hat-trick of tries as Kabras Sugar downed highflying Nondescripts 44-5 in a Kenya Cup rugby league match at the Jamhuri Park show ground on Saturday.

Kabras Sugar closed shop in the first half as they scored all their points in the session, eight tries and two conversions, to silence Nondies who had previously stunned bigwigs Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), Homeboyz and Impala Saracens.

It’s a day that saw hosts Nakuru surrender their 8-5 lead to lose to Homeboyz 19-18 as Menengai Oilers rallied from behind to draw 19-19 with visiting Strathmore Leos in matches played at the Nakuru Athletic Club.

KCB, Kenya Harlequin and Mwamba claimed vital wins to cement their positions in the Kenya Cup league. KCB battled to edge out hosts Blak Blad 20-15 at Kenyatta University ground while Quins crashed Mean Machine 47-3 at the University of Nairobi.

Collins Injera once again turned on the style, scoring one of Mwamba’s four tries to hand Impala Saracens a 20-16 defeat at the Railway Club. The other scorers were Stephen Sikuta, Michael Agevi and Louis Kisia. Injera touched down a hat-trick of tries as Mwamba waylaid Strathmore Leos 47-25 in their previous match last weekend.

Kabras Sugar bolstered their lead to 35 points as KCB stayed second on 29 points after they failed to win at Kenyatta University by a bonus point. Quins are third with 26 points as Mwamba, who got a bonus point, scaled one place to fourth on 22 points.

At Jamhuri Park, fly-half Logan Lasson from South Africa supplemented Wokorach’s dispaly with a brace of tries as fellow countryman winger Mario Wilson managed a try for Kabras.

Flanker Hillary Odhiambo wrapped up Kabra Sugar’s assault with another try to lead 44-0 at the break but not before Wokorach and Lasson made a conversion each.

Substitute forward Fred Muga scored Nondies’ only try in the second half.

“We stopped playing in the second half to let Nondies enjoy possession, I must commend Wokorach for his kicking and running ability that gave us opportunities and variations,” said Kabra Sugar coach head coach Henley du Plessis.

“We lost but it showed that we are now taking on the big boys hence a learning experience to my young side,” said Nondies coach Willis Ojal. “We shall get there if we continue to exhibit patience and good decision making.”

At Nakuru Athletic Club, Homeboyz opened the scoring when Leon Adongo danced his way through Nakuru backline to score a try. Kelvin Omiyo would level for Nakuru just before half time.

Martin Muita’s penalty put Nakuru ahead 8-5 but some moment of brilliance from Felix Ouma saw him score a try that Levin Asena coverted for Homeboyz to lead 12-8. Stanley Esegon’s try that Asena converted stretched Homeboyz lead to 19-8.

Menengai Oilers survived a first half scare to hold Strathmore University Leos.

The swift students never gave their hosts time to break and took the game to the Oilers backyard scoring their opening try through Clinton Kasai which was superbly converted by Andrew Matoka.

The Leos pushed Oilers into their own 22 scoring a penalty through Lucas Opala for a 10-0 half-time lead.

Oilers seemed to have put new oil into their systems what with Chrispine Shitindo reducing the deficit with a try which was converted by Austine Shikutwa.