Blak Blad ready to upset Oilers

Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad are counting on their ‘underdog’ status to propel them past Menengai Oilers in their Kenya Cup semi-final play-off clash on Saturday at the Nakuru Showground.

The match is a repeat of last season’s semi-final play-off, where Oilers edged out Blak Blad 24-14 at the same venue before falling to KCB 21-12 in the semi-finals.

Blak Blad, however, have twice beaten Oilers before, with their last triumph coming in the 2022/2023 Kenya Cup season—a hard-fought 17-16 victory. They also stunned Oilers 14-10 to win bronze at the 2023 Impala Floodlit tournament and held them to a 12-12 draw in the 2021 Kenya Cup season.

Blak Blad coach Rotich Kibet is confident his team can go a step further this year.

“We have a dream of reaching our maiden Kenya Cup semi-final, and we should realise it this season. Oilers is a familiar side from last season,” Kibet said.

“We hope the underdog mentality works for us since we are under no pressure. It will be a great story if we fry Oilers in their own oil at their refinery,” he added.

Kibet emphasised that a win would be a monumental achievement for the team.

“I will sleep on that field at the kick-off zone if we win. It will mean the world to us. Players have sacrificed so much for the love of the game, and we have pushed through with the little help from the varsity management,” he stated.

Blak Blad have defied the odds to maintain their Kenya Cup status for over a decade, surviving without a defined budget.

As they celebrate their 50th anniversary this year, the team hopes to mark the milestone by reaching the semi-finals.

“Blak Blad lives a day at a time, a week at a time, but our resolve to stay afloat and claim our first Kenya Cup title is valid and not far-fetched,” said Kibet.

“Our unmatched brotherhood, culture, and discipline cultivated over the years is what drives us.”

The team is set to welcome back wingers Archadius Kwesa and Shoaib Wesonga from injuries after they missed the last regular season game, a 29-15 loss to Mwamba.

Blak Blad finished the regular season in sixth place with 26 points from five wins and six losses. Kibet attributed their consistency to discipline and a strong team culture.

“We have drafted a code of conduct that binds all players and the technical team within the Blak Blad family,” Kibet noted.
To enhance performance, they have increased training sessions from three to five or six times a week and improved player welfare, including providing kits, fitness supplements, and shopping assistance.

“Even if we have a one percent chance, we shall go for it full throttle,” Kibet vowed.

Meanwhile, Crown Paints PLC has injected Sh2.6 million into the Kenya Sevens team, Shujaa, ahead of their final three legs of the 2024/2025 World Rugby Series in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Los Angeles.

Crown Paints Chief Operating Officer Richard Muturi handed over the sponsorship cheque to Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chairman Sasha Mutai on Thursday at RFUEA ground. The sponsorship package includes Sh1.6 million in cash and Sh1 million in kind.

Kenya Sevens will be hoping the financial boost fuels their bid for a strong finish in the series.