Battles Take Shape Heading Into Match Day 6

As we approach the half way point of the top two leagues, the competition for the top four spots is getting tighter as the relegation battle slowly shapes up. Game week 6 provides another opportunity for the sides to better their standings in the respective battles.

Action from Quins vs Nondies on match day 5 (photo - Nondies)

Nairobi Region

The Nairobi region Nation wide league will see three fixtures played this weekend, with leaders TUK facing Comras. TUK come into this one off a massive 67-0 win over KEMU and will be looking for another big win here to keep hold of first place. Second placed Catholic University who are tied on 21 points with leaders TUK who have their fixture against Nazarene postponed.

Comras vs TUK - 3pm, Pumwani Grounds
Mt Kenya vs Mwamba II - 2pm, Nairobi Railway Club
Impala III vs Brumbies - 12pm, Impala Club

Western Region

In the Western region, leaders Kabras will look to follow up their 73-0 demolition of Masinde Muliro with another win when they host third placed Kakamega. Second placed Busia on 16 points, 3 behind Kabras will be looking to close that gap when they face 5th placed Kisii at the Gusii university.

Webuye vs Mt Kenya Kakamega 3pm Webuye DEB
Maseno vs Masinde Muliro 3pm Maseno Uni
Kabras vs Kakamega 3pm Kakamega Show Ground
Kisii vs Bungoma 3pm Gusii Stadium 
Siaya vs Homabay 3pm Siaya Grounds
Busia vs Shieywe (No Show W/O)

Rift Valley Region

Rift valley region's league leaders will be looking to hold on to that spot when they travel to the University of Eldoret who sit in second, the two separated by three points. Nakuru III in fifth will be looking to make up some valuable ground and take advantage of that top of the table clash coupled with the fact that the other
sides above them will not be in action, when they face Kitale RFC at the St Joseph's Kitale.

Moi Uni Rest
Kericho vs Kabarak 3pm Kericho High School (Postponed)
Uni Of Eldoret vs Egerton 3pm Uni Of Eldoret
Kitale vs Nakuru III 3pm St Josephs Kitale
Naivasha vs Molo 3pm Naivasha Sport Club

Coast Region

The Technical University of Mombasa will be looking to keep their impressive run going at the summit of the Coast region league when they host third placed Spartans at the Khamisi Secondary school. TUM are on 19 points after four matches a point ahead of Masaku who have played 5 matches, Spartans are on 15 points after 4 matches. Masaku will host the Coast Raiders at the Machakos Golf Club.

Pwani Uni vs Malindi 3pm Pwani Uni
Taita Taveta Uni vs Stormers 3pm (postponed)
TUM vs Spartans 3pm Khamisi Secondary
Masaku vs Coast Raiders 3pm Machakos Golf club
SCPirates vs Shepherds 3pm Ukunda 

Central Region

The Central region will see leaders KEMU in a tricky clash against fifth placed Thika RFC. KEMU were not in action last weekend and will have benefited from the rest. Thika on the other hand will have the momentum on their side after a 27-5 win over Embu last weekend.

Embu Rest
Thika vs KEMU 3pm Thika Sports Club
Jkuat vs Kimathi 3pm Jkuat Juja (postponed)
Kiambu vs Karatina 12pm KU 
Laikipia vs Chuka 3pm Nanyuki Sports Club 

Eric Shirley Shield

In the ESS, leaders Nakuru II will face their first real challenge of the season when they travel to Kakamega to face Western Bulls II who are in 9th. The Calves have so far seen off defending champions Quins II and Mwamba II at their backyard, they will be looking for another great performance here.

Western Bulls II vs Strath II (Photo - Wbulls)

Second placed Catulus who are tied on 25 points with the leaders also face a tricky looking trip to 10th placed Impala II.

KCB II in third place will be travelling to face fourth placed Nondies II at the Jamuhuri grounds. The two sides are tied on 19 points and will have the chance to break the deadlock. Both sides come into this one off impressive wins, KCB II beating Homeboyz II 47-0 with Nondies getting one over bitter rivals Quins II 20-13.

Quins II whose title defence took a blow to the gut last weekend will be looking to get back on track when they host 11th placed Mombasa II. Homeboyz II in seventh will host Mwamba II in fifth, the black shirts who are also on 19 points will be looking to take full advantage of the clash of the two sides above them. Other fixtures see Machine II host Eldoret II as Kisumu II host Blad II.

Quins II vs Mombasa II  2pm RFUEA
Nondescripts II vs KCB II 2pm Jamhuri Park
Homeboyz II vs Mwamba II 2pm Strathmore Madaraka
Impala II vs Strathmore II 2pm Impala Club
W.Bulls II vs Nakuru II 2pm Kakamega High
Machine II  vs Eldoret II 2pm UON
Kisumu II vs Blakblad II 2pm Kisumu Polytechnic

Kenya Cup

The top flight sees some interesting battles especially at the bottom end of the table as Machine look to get their first win when they host Eldoret and Blad travelling to the limping Kisumu.

The top two sides in Nakuru and Strathmore look to have straight forward fixtures as they travel to face Western Bulls and Impala respectively, the two will however be wary of their opponents whop are no push overs especially at home.

The clash of the week is the battle of the Lions a replay of this year's Floodies final with Nondies hosting KCB at the Jamuhuri grounds.

Quins vs Mombasa - 4pm, RFUEA Grounds.

After that 35-18 win over rivals Nondies on match day 5, Quins find themselves in a very strong position in the league standings in 5th place on 15 points with 2 games in hand on the sides above them.

The quartered shirts will be looking to keep that position when they host Mombasa in what looks like another bonus point win. Mombasa are also in a strong position having so far won two matches in 5 which sees them sit in 7th spot.

The Mombasa side will however have their work cut out for them here especially looking at their results on the road.

Homeboyz vs Mwamba - 4pm, Strathmore Madaraka.

These two sides come into this encounter off contrasting fortunes from match day 5, while Mwamba were convincing 24-0 winners over Impala at the Nairobi Railway Club. Homeboyz were narrow 20-14 losers at the hands of KCB at the den in Ruaraka.

Daniel Othieno of Mwamba against Nato Simiyu (Photo - Kulabu)

Kulabu will be looking to keep the pressure on the top two sides and inflict further misery on the djs. Homeboyz will however be no push overs, having stretched KCB to the limits last weekend and will be looking for the same here and go one better with a win. The last time these two met, Mwamba were 43-8 winners.

Western Bulls vs Nakuru - 4pm, Kakamega High School.

League leaders Nakuru will make the trip to Kakamega in what looks like their first real test this season. The defending champions have so far been flawless, picking up a perfect 25 points from their opening 5 fixtures.

This weekend they travel to the Kakamega High School to face a stubborn Western Bulls side who are in 10th place. The Bulls have been impressive at home beating Mwamba and narrowly losing to KCB. They will be upbeat for this one, having put in a great performance against Strathmore on match day 5 at the Madaraka grounds.

Nakuru will be the favourites in this one, the last time the Wanyore met the Echulusi, the former were 71-3 winners at the NAC.

Mean Machine vs Eldoret - 4pm, UoN.

After a tough run in over the opening weeks of the league, Machine look to have their first reprieve when they welcome Eldoret at the UoN grounds.

Machine are on 1 point and are in 13th, Eldoret are two points above Machine in 12th. After a walk over result against Kisumu last weekend Eldoret will be looking to stretch further away from the relegation zone with a win here.

Machine have so far played, Nakuru, KCB, Mwamba, Strathmore and Quins, the top five sides from last season. Looking at that you can understand that the Eschuma will be looking forward to this fixture, as they
hope to wiggle out of the relegation zone.

Kisumu vs BlakBlad - 4pm, Kisumu Polytechnic.

It has been a tough season so far for Kisumu, where they have done most of the playing outside the rugby pitch. After being hit by a massive player exodus in the closed season, this season has so far seen
in fighting among their top brass, that war culminating in the failure to honour the match against Eldoret last weekend.

Kisumu now sit at the bottom of the pile in the league with -2 points, this weekend they will have the opportunity to get the season back on track when they welcome 10th placed Blak Blad.

Blad were narrow 12-14 losers in Mombasa last weekend and will be upbeat going into this one looking at the current state of their hosts.

Blad have so far picked up one win this season, a walk over against Eldoret on match day 4, they will be going for their first out and out win of their current Kenya Cup run. The last time these two met, Kisumu were narrow 20-15 winners at the same venue.

Impala vs Strathmore - 4pm, Impala Club.

Second placed Strathmore will be visiting Impala who currently sit in 11th spot on the log. Strathmore have been in impressive form this far, matching Nakuru's run of a perfect 5 points in their first five matches.

The Leos only relinquished first spot on Match day 5 on aggregate points and will be looking to head back to the top when they face Impala.

George Okowa of Impala in action against Mwamba (Photo - Kulabu)

Impala on their part have had a start stop run so far this season, playing 3 matches, winning one and losing the other two. The gazelles will be hoping to get back to winning ways here and start their ascend
up the standings.

The gazelles have a very impressive set of forwards and will be looking to use them on Saturday to get the result here. The last time these two met, the Leos were 59-10 winners at the same venue last season.

Nondies vs KCB - 4pm, Jamuhuri grounds.

This weekend's top bill match will be staged at the Jamuhuri grounds, where the red lion of Nondies will host the green lion of KCB. The two lions are in good form with Nondies in 4th spot, KCB lie in 6th spot, 6 points behind their opponents this weekend albeit with a game in hand.

The two come into this fixture off contrasting match day 5 fortunes, with Nondies falling 18-35 to rivals Quins, KCB on their part battling to a 20-14 win over Homeboyz. The two have also had contrasting starts
to the season, with Nondies hitting the ground running, KCB have been slow off the blocks struggling to get their results. It will be remembered that these two met earlier this year in the Floodies final where KCB
recorded a 28-3 win.

We'll might finally see this battle.

Nondies will be looking for revenge here and a return to winning ways as they fight to stay in the play off places. KCB on their part will see this as an opportunity to get closer to those play off positions.

As has been the case whenever these two meet, this will be another classic battle of the forwards. Last time out, KCB won this battle over the 80 minutes, after weathering the Nondies storm in the first half. It was a similar story at the RFUEA last weekend with Nondies asking all the questions in the opening stages before fading away as the game progressed.

The white shirts will be looking to keep their charge against KCB going for the full eighty minutes or make the most of their chances early on then hold on in the closing stages of the match.

Much is said about the battle of the forwards but the two sets of backs will be vital, Filden Sinei has been in hot form for Nondies, his opposite number Steve Matioli will have a lot on his hands.

Sinei (Photo - Nondies)

KCB will probably pack the heavier punch in this department with Allan Omuka, Jacob Ojee, Brian Omondi, Maurice Mbai, Ken Moseti and Fabian Olando in their ranks. This one promises to be a great encounter.

To the predictions :

Quins +50 over Mombasa
Mwamba +20 over Homeboyz
Nakuru +15 over Bulls
Machine +10 over Eldoret
Blad +20 over Kisumu
Strathmore +20 over Impala
KCB +5 over Nondies

As always feel free to share your predictions in the comments section or on our social media pages, just a word of advice, don't go with what one James Wahome predicts and you will be just fine!

With that ladies and gents.....

KWISHA....Nimeruka Nje!!

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