Kabras, KCB set for Enterprise Cup semi-final showdown
Kabras Sugar's Ntabeni Dukisa makes a conversion against KCB during the Enterprise Cup final at RFUEA ground on June 8, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Despite the high stakes, KCB coach Oliver Mang’eni and his Kabras Sugar counterpart Carlos Katywa are downplaying their Enterprise Cup semi-final, choosing to focus on their upcoming Kenya Cup fixtures.
- Before their March 15 Enterprise Cup semi-final, Kabras will host KCB in a Kenya Cup regular season clash on March 8 at the Kakamega Showground.
Champions Kabras Sugar and KCB Rugby will collide in the Enterprise Cup semi-final set for March, in what promises to be a thrilling showdown.
Kabras Sugar remain unbeaten in both the Enterprise Cup and Kenya Cup for the past three seasons. The last time they lost to KCB was in the 2021 Kenya Cup final, where the bankers edged them 28-25 in Nandi.
Despite the high stakes, KCB coach Oliver Mang’eni and his Kabras Sugar counterpart Carlos Katywa are downplaying their Enterprise Cup semi-final, choosing to focus on their upcoming Kenya Cup fixtures.
Before their March 15 Enterprise Cup semi-final, Kabras will host KCB in a Kenya Cup regular season clash on March 8 at the Kakamega Showground.
KCB’s attacking prowess was on full display as winger Jacob Ojee and centre Tyson Maina crossed the whitewash four times each in a commanding 85-7 victory over Championship side Catholic University of East Africa Monks at KCB Ruaraka Sports Club on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Kabras Sugar’s fly-half Eric Cantona scored a hat-trick as the defending champions survived a first-half scare to dispatch Kenya Harlequin 43-20 at Kakamega Showground. Quins trailed by just a point (14-13) at halftime before Kabras took control in the second half.
In the other Enterprise Cup semi-final, Nondescripts will face Menengai Oilers after their quarter-final opponents, South Coast Pirates and Homeboyz, failed to honour their matches.
Mang’eni insists his focus remains on their remaining Kenya Cup matches against Nondies, Menengai Oilers, Impala, and finally, Kabras Sugar.
“I can’t talk about the semi-finals before we complete our four remaining Kenya Cup encounters,” said Mang’eni.
Despite the convincing win over Monks, he noted there’s still work to be done.
“The players have been able to execute 70 percent of what we have been working on and expecting them to do, but from now, things are going to be tough with the top three meeting in Kenya Cup and the semi-finals,” he said.
“We meet a formidable Nondies side that is well-coached on Saturday away, and that is our focus, nothing else,” he added.
Mang’eni believes his team has what it takes, but stressed the importance of mental preparedness.
“Anything is possible but only if we settle our minds well. Our pace has improved, but we must be clinical in finishing our chances and improve on our ball handling and contact.”
Katywa, on the other hand, is setting his sights on Quins, whom they face again in Kenya Cup before taking on Nondies.
“Of course, KCB will be next in my plan, but I want to take every game seriously,” he said.
He admitted disappointment in his side’s performance against Quins and took responsibility for their struggles.
“We conducted ourselves badly and forgot our structures. There was individualism, and for the first time since I stepped in Kakamega, we lost our set-pieces, and our defense and breakdowns were messy,” he said, adding that starting his senior players from the bench was a mistake.