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Kenya’s rugby top dogs bite yet again

KCB’s rampaging prop Erick Miheso charges into Impala territory as teammate Felix Ojow watches during their Kenya Cup match at KCB Sports Club, Ruaraka in Nairobi. KCB won 64-14.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo| Nation Media Group

By  Ayumba Ayodi

Correspondent

NMG Sport

Reigning champions Kabras Sugar and their nemesis KCB have secured home semi-finals in the Kenya Cup play-offs with one round of matches remaining to the end the regular season.

Kabras Sugar rallied from 14-13 down at the break to tame inspired hosts Menengai Oilers 20-14 at the Nakuru Showground while eight-time champions KCB manhandled visiting Impala 64-14 at KCB Sports Club, Ruaraka on Friday.

KCB upheld their league table leadership heading into the final round of matches next weekend with 50 points including 10 bonus victories as four times champion Kabras Sugar stayed second with 48 points after failing to register bonus points in their last two league wins.

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The two giants will now face-off at the Kakamega Showground in an enticing clash to decide who finishes top in the regular season and gets to enjoy a home Kenya Cup final should they negotiate their semi-final successfully.

Unbeaten Kabras Sugar have hosted all the Kenya Cup finals since the 2017/2018 season.

The relegation battle also heads into the last leg with six teams still fighting to avoid the big axe. Mwamba (11 points) and South Coast Pirates (8) are the most vulnerable.

Menengai Oilers (42), Nondies (34), Quins (32) and Blak Blad (26) are the teams to battle in the play-offs for the semi-finals.

Since their position on the table will not change even after next Saturday's final round of matches the play-offs pairing is clear.

Oilers will host Blak Blad. Nondies and Quins will face-off in the other play-off. Their last match will decide who will play at home.

Quins will be away to Strathmore while Nondies will travel to Kisumu.

Mwamba slumped one place into the relegation zone when they lost to Nakuru 32-27 even though they claimed a bonus point for not losing with more than seven points.

Mwamba must beat Blak Blad in their last match if they are to survive while Pirates face the near impossible task of downing Oilers in their last match.

Nakuru were the major climbers, moving up four places to eighth with 14 points while Impala, who lost to KCB are seventh with 15 points and still in the relegation zone.

KCB are yet to beat Kabras since their last 28-20 victory during the 2021/2022 Kenya Cup regular season

Lions coach Oliver Mang’eni said that the performance so far is a result of something that they have been building.

“You see, for me, any game is won mentally and fitness wise. We have been struggling for some moment but there is a clear difference since my players are stronger, agile and faster,” said Mang’eni.

“We haven’t gotten there yet and we are still ticking the boxes. We just need to do our stuff right and finish at the top and host both the semi-final and final,” said Mang’eni.