Wellington Day 2 & Kenya Cup Match day 9 review.

Here’s hoping the weekend was kind to you and yours…that you enjoyed the rugby fully. Let’s take a look back.

Okoommbbeeee!!!

The mboys as you know by now won the bowl in Wellington after what was a flawless performance on day 2. They beat Scotland 14-7 in the bowl quarters, a game that most of us did not watch as Dstv decided to air golf instead. They met 7’s world cup champions Wales in the semi and saw them off 17-7, the Welsh getting their consolation in the dying seconds of the game. The win set up a replay of our first game in Wellington, against Australia. With the Australians seeking revenge, the mboys were out to confirm the victory from day 1 was no fluke. Kenya were faster off the blocks and scored a try through Collo Injera, but it was the Aussies who dominated possession as the mboys put up a defensive master piece, they had made 28 tackles within the first 4 minutes of the game, this ensured that they went into the break 7-0 ahead. The second half started the same as the first, this time Humphrey ‘Tall’ Kayange grounding the ball, making it 12-0. Kenya would defend again resolutely but the Australians managed to breach the line of defence and score with virtually the last play of the game. It ended 12-7, Kenya the Bowl winners in wellington. The trophy earns us 8 points to take our total score this far to 13, at position 14 overall. Next up we head to Las vegas (baby!) with this renewed belief you would not bet against us reaching the main cup semi. A performance like the one we had in Day 2 will surely get us there, we were very effective in attack and as I said top in defence, you could see the maturity in our play. 

We are pooled with England, Scotland and Brazil in Las Vegas…baby. A tricky pool as the two U.K teams can cause us problems but if we repeat our performance over the Scots then see off the samba boys, I feel that we’d have done enough to reach the Main cup quarters, England will just be a bonus. Here are the pool games timings in Kenyan time, we will play 2 games on the first day, Saturday then the last pool game on and a quarter final on Sunday, the Semis and Finals will be played early Monday morning :

Kenya Vs Scotland – 6.28 am

Kenya Vs Brazil – 9.24 am

Kenya Vs England – 2.28 pm (Saturday)

Now to the Kenya cup, which played out it’s half way point in game week 9 though most teams have played 8 games while others have done seven. This is due to a combination of the boycott early on and the University games. The league continues to be a very close contest as the scores below show : 

Quins 22 – KCB 15

Homeboyz 9 – 41 Mwamba

Kisumu 28 – 25 Nondies

Strathmore 19 – Nakuru 18

Machine 26 – 20 Impala

The results mean the table now reads something like this :

1. Mwamba – PLD 9 – W 6 - L 3 - AGG 113 – BON 5 – PTS 29
2. Strathmore - PLD 8 - W 6- L 2 – AGG 50 – BON 4 - PTS-28
3. KCB – PLD 8 – W 4 - L 2 – AGG 57 – BON 5 – PTS 25
4. Nakuru – PLD 8 – W 4 – L 3 – AGG 51 – BON 6 – PTS 24
5. Quins – PLD 7 – W 4 – L 2 – AGG 14 – BON 2 – PTS 20
6. Impala – PLD 8 – W 3 – L 4 – AGG 48 – BON 4 – PTS 18
7. Machine – PLD 7 –W 3 – L 4 – AGG (-41) – BON 3 – PTS 15
8. Nondies – PLD 8 – W 2 – L 5 – AGG (-37) – BON 2 –PTS 12
9. Kisumu – PLD 8 – W 2 – L 6 – AGG (-122) – BON 3 – PTS 11
10. Homeboyz – PLD 7 – W 2 – L 5 – AGG (-73) – BON 1 – PTS 9 
    (PLD = Played,W= Won, L = Lost, AGG = Aggregate points, BON = Bonus, PTS = Points)

We start at the Jamuhuri grounds where Homeboyz played host to the league leaders kulabu, the Dj’s ended up as entertainers to the black shirts as a rampant Mwamba side, brushed them aside. The DJ’s slip to last position in the log for the first time and it begs the question, what happened to the Homeboyz side that we saw at the beginning of the season, the one that gave KCB a real scare and beat Quins? On the other hand Kulabu continue their impressive run, and have shown they can cope without their seven’s stars.

Moving on to the UoN grounds where Machine put up a great display once again this time getting the result against Impala. Again a solid defence and an effectiveness in front of goal from the students ensured they beat their much fancied opponents, earning them a bonus. Impala have now lost two in as many games, though they have picked up bonus points in each of those games, this leaves them at position 6 as Machine climb to 7^th. Eschuma are starting to justify their retention in the league, with more results like this they will surprise many.

Onto the result of the weekend for me, in Kisumu as Nondies ran out of time against their hosts. Yes you read that right, if you have been to the red lion (Nondies’ club house) then you have surely come across the sign that says “Nondies don’t lose, they just run out of time.” Kondele boys came good for the second time this season, once again at home. Proving again that teams travelling there should not undermine this side. Nondies have had a way of surprising us over the years, they put together a couple of impressive results then they lose it just like that, surely they aren’t going to do that again this season, or are they?

Next to the Impala grounds where the XXVII crew claimed a last gasp victory over the Wanyore courtesy of a Ken Andola's boot. The win ensured that they keep up with the leaders and their impressive run since they lost the university derby at the beginning of the year. At this point Strath find themselves in a very strong position and if they can keep this form up, you cannot write off their chances of going all the way this season. The Wanyore suffer yet another close defeat, despite this they remain 4^th, with Quins quickly catching up 4 points behind them. 

To the big one, the lunch bar quins (hehe) taking on KCB. The green shirts started the better of the two sides as they pinned the quins in their half for a better part of the first 10 minutes, this pressure however did not pay off as quins held on to brave the early storm. They too would turn the heat up and win a penalty which Muhanji slotted in to make the scores 3-0 to the hosts. The match drew on as both sides probed each other, it was evenly poised but KCB saw more of the ball. The score board remained untouched even as Fabian Olando missed a chance to even the game from a penalty. Quins would again make foray into the KCB 22 and score a converted try through Tony Mutai to make it 10-0. KCB would not relent and continued looking for a reply, this they found through Darwin Mukidza who grounded the ball at the corner just before the half time whistle to make it 10-5.

The second half began with Quins running the show, courtesy of Isaac Adimo, his vision set up William ‘Lomu’ Ambaka for his first of the day, stretching their lead to 10 points, 15-5. KCB would not lie down as substitute Winger Sebastein Shivoka burst through after great work from Collins Kimani off a scrum down, this would bring the score to 15-10, KCB sensing the kill went all out after this looking for the score to give them the lead. A steady run of possession took them well into Quins territory, however it ended in a penalty for Quins which they gladly kicked into touch. They put together a couple of phases themselves, creating a mismatch out wide with some of the KCB forwards were found in no man’s land. Adimo was quick to spot this and placed a well weighted chip just behind the line, Ambaka had all the time in the world to pick it up and ground it, Muhanji making no mistake from the conversion, 22-10. KCB would regroup and yet again barge into the Quins 22, this time they made no mistake from a rolling maul for Arthur Shikwe to dive over the line, making it 22-17. The game was on its dying bed and Quins were happy to soak in the pressure for the last minutes, this they did thus it ended 22-17 to the hosts.

Quins have now won 3 games, and not just any three games, they have beaten Mwamba, Impala and now KCB in that order. This string of results has resurrected their title campaign as they now lie fifth, 8 points behind leaders Mwamba with two games in hand. Their tactical play yet again delivered the goods for them, in a match where they saw less of the ball. KCB will be left to rue the chances they had of killing off the game, especially early in the first half. They drop one place to third on 25 points, 3 behind Strathmore. My man of the match is as well the Tusker Man of the match, Isaac Adimo, the flamboyant fly half played a major role in this victory and set up 2 of his team’s 3 tries. Worth a Mention are Nick Lango, Dennis ‘Dadex’ Karani, Dennis Mwanja and Leslie Mango though the latter played a little less than 30 minutes before he suffered a concussion, you could see that KCB missed his influence on the game, Quins started imposing themselves after Les had left the field of play.

Kwenye taarifa za tanzia, yaani in other news making headlines, (you should know swahili, sijui I write a whole post in swa?) Ken Moseti and Biko Adema have linked up with the squad to Las vegas babbyy. Victor Oduor should come back as he picked up a slight injury during training in Wellington if I am not mistaken. Locally some of the clubs with deficit games are toying with the idea of playing double headers, as in they play one game and it counts for 2. So the winner gets double points,it will be interesting to see whether it will happen as it will change the look of the table drastically!

With that fair peoples....have a mzuri week ahead aaannnddd..

KWISHA!! 

Remember for suggestions, blah blah blah M-pesa donations or just a good time (ladies only) you can reach me @poghie_esquire on twitter. or Pitseh Ndonga Poghie on Facebook. (I know the names, right? hehe)