| Kenya Cup Battle | ||||
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The Kenya Cup contention resumes this weekend after a two week sevens and Tens interlude. Ngong Road derby has unbeaten Impala picking a nasty date with sturdy Kenya Harlequins. Anticipation rides high especially with KCB facing off with Nondescripts. Quins who lost to Ulinzi will be hoping to beat Impala and top the standings. The four top teams qualify for the semis. Impala, Quins, KCB, Nondies.
Impala coach, Tony Muriu is quite a lucky man to have saved the toughest matches this season for last. He started the season well beating Mwamba 21:0, Ulinzi 11:7 then earning some extra points against Nakuru at 43:12. Nondies were awarded a walkover to Ulinzi?s disadvantage after the army men failed to honour the match. They however lost to Mwamba in the second match, 21:13. They also picked extra points in Nakuru, 43:19. Quins who were then just from Zimbabwe beat Mean Machine 30:10 at UoN and again beat Nakuru 43:17 at home and lost to Ulinzi at home on their third match. If Impala continues with its winning streak, they will meet the fourth placed team in the league, KCB. Nondies will most probably fight if off with Quins. For Odundo, the biggest challenge will be to stop Muriu?s entertaining backs; Impala will most probably field Charles Mbogo at Flyhalf, centers Curtis Olago and Kiragwi Mwirigi, Oscar Osir and Victor Sudi at wing then Ian Simiyu will keep the fullback jersey. I hope not. I would look forward to James Shiundu and Ian Simiyu at Center with Victor Sudi at fullback for the injectors. They would make an entertaining pair of centers. Shiundu has a tendency of cutting through any backline and this would be the ideal type of a player Muriu should look up to. Creating gaps for Simiyu and Osir would do Impala great. Quins do not have a very creative fly half in Sidney Obonyo; Tito Oduk should try and get more of scoreboard. Infact, they should switch Obonyo to center with Oduk and get more lively play. Mbogo should make the best out of himself. The pack battle will probably be the toughest. The sevens training will make a great improvement on Impala?s pack mobility. Kinyany is back hopefully to steady the scrum. Great kicks from either Mbogo or Obonyo/Oduk will be key Oduk should leave the left side kicks to Obonyo. Muriu will however have to be careful because Quins has the most mobile pack in its history, this season. Peter Mwangi, Joel Ng?ang?a, Kevin Omondi; Edgar Odhiambo makes quite a fast scrum.
For Dan Richard, keeping Derrick Wamalwa and bully John Ahenda Messo at bay will be vital, the two make the biggest, strongest pair who can especially for Wamalwa can take in and administer hits. If Sasha plays this weekend, Tank then will have to be very careful. Benjamin Ayimba and ever-resilient Mike Aung, now healed Ben Nyambu, Frank Oyalo and Allan Namu hopefully will give quality balls for Charles Kanyi to carve up. Steve Gichuki will give an extra advantage at Flyhalf. KCB?s Elijah Toili will be a nasty thorn and Cardovillis will have to be aware Probably, the tensest match will be played at Nakuru Athletic Club with the loser having to fancy with the Erick Shirley Shield next season. When the Mean Machines play Nakuru this weekend, Evans Maiyo?s thoughts will be on surviving in the Kenya Cup. Machine will have to fight to keep their veracity up. Next season will be dull without Nakuru?s Ken Kanyi. It will be unbearable without Caleb Tanui, Sean Robocop Omondi and scrumhalf, Mike Gitaru the MVP Floodlit 2004. Quins vs. Impala Nondies vs. KCB Mwamba vs. Ulinzi Nakuru vs. Machine Machine II vs. Nazarene Kisumu vs. Blak Blad (uncertain) Quins II vs. Nondies II KCB II vs. JKUAT (off) Impala II vs. Mombasa Ulinzi II vs. Mwamba II Prescott Cup Lenana Vs Nairobi Sch RVA Vs Alliance St. Mary's Vs Strathmore Dagoretti Vs TBC
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