Kabras Sugar title favourites as new Kenya Cup season begins

As the 2025/2026 Kenya Cup rugby season starts on Saturday, Kabras Sugar Rugby Club the front-runners to win a fifth consecutive title.

Only two teams have achieved that feat before: 17-time record champions Nondescripts and eight-time champions Impala Rugby Club.

Impala won the inaugural championship in 1970, and retained it for the next four years.

Nondies then halted Impala’s reign, winning back-to-back Kenya Cup titles in 1975 and 1976 before losing the title to Mean Machine from the University of Nairobi in 1977, only to bounce back to lift the title five times in a row from 1978 to 1982.

KCB Rugby nearly joined the elite club when they won the title back-to-back from 2017 to 2021, only for Kabras Sugar to end their dominance in the 2022 final. The sugar millers have never let go of the title since then.

In fact, Kabras have done it in style, winning the title unbeaten in the last three seasons, with victory in the Enterprise Cup the icing on the cake for the sugar millers.

Menengai Oilers nearly stopped Kabras Sugar in the final in April 2025 in Kakamega, but lost 27-26. Menengai are perhaps the only team that can realistically challenge Kabras Sugar for the title.

KCB and Nondies, who have been rebuilding heavily in the past, are also sure to take their chances.

Kabras Sugar have also supplied the bulk of players in the national team. Scrum-half Roy Maruti is the only player in Kabras Sugar’s backline that faces Masinde Muliro University of Agriculture and Technology (Mmust) today, who has not played for Kenya Simbas.

Kabras Sugar will be without their long-serving captain, George Nyambua, who has taken a sabbatical. David Bunduki, who is returning to Kabras after one year, takes up Nyambua’s position in front row.

Nyambua’s co-deputies hooker Eugene Sifuna and prop Teddy Akala will steer the team for a while before rejoining later in the season.

“We will strive to deliver the best. It is something we have talked about in the Kenya Simbas and Kabras Sugar set-ups,” Kabras Sugar’s coach, Carlos Katywa, said of his star-studded backline.

“These guys are returning from a big disappointment in the Rugby World Cup qualifiers, where they played for  Kenya Simbas, and it’s only wise to get back to doing what they love doing,” he said.

Kenya lost to Zimbabwe 29-23 in the semi-finals of the 2027 Rugby World Cup Africa qualifier held July this year in Kampala.  Zimbabwe went on to stun Namibia 30-28 and qualify for the 2026 Rugby World Cup.

“Nyambua has put in so much for the team for a long time, and it’s only wise for him to take a rest. However,  he will continue to train with us,” Katywa observed. The coach has promised a change of style for the new season, starting with the “Lurambi Derby” that will see the sugar millers play Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (Mmust). Mmust are returning after two seasons in the cold.

Kabras are chasing their 11th consecutive Kenya Cup final, look formidable and still favourites to retain the title.

However, Menengai Oilers skipper Ibrahim Ayoo has declared a grand battle in their quest for their maiden Kenya Cup title. Oilers host newcomers Daystar University Falcons at the Nakuru Showground on Saturday.

“We came close to beating Kabras in the final last season, and in 2022. We learnt a lot on both occasions,” said Ayoo, adding that they have managed to retain their players, which will be key to their title chase this season.

“Kabras’ secret has been player retention. Twenty-three members of their squad that played in last season’s final had played in three past finals,” said Ayoo.

MMUST’s coach, David Asila, and his Falcons counterpart, Caleb Bosire, aim to reach the play-offs.

Nondies, KCB and Kenya Harlequin head to the new season with new coaches in charge.

Moses Wanyanga takes over from Oliver Callum at Nondies, Patrice Agunda has replaced Paul Murunga at Quins, while Andrew Amonde takes charge at KCB, replacing Dennis Mwanja.

Saturday’s fixtures:

Kabras Sugar v Mmust (Kakamega Showground)

Menengai Oilers v Daystar Falcons (Nakuru Showground)

Blak Blad v Strathmore Leos (Kenyatta University)

Nondies v Kisumu (Ngong Racecourse)

Quins v Nakuru (RFUEA)