Fourteen adrenaline-charged teams, one pitch and one tittle to take home; 2015 Kenya Cup Champions. Which team would stand the pitch’s fever to the end?

 

The just concluded Kenya Cup championship was no place for the faint hearted, as teams battled it out for the country’s top tittle in the Rugby league. Pan African Strathmore Leos were sure to bring their A’ game to the front, marking their fourth subsequent entry to the championships since its inception. The season kicked off  in November last year, welcoming two newly promoted teams; Kabras Sugar and Catholic Monks (from Catholic University of Eastern Africa),playing in the top tier after winning the second tier nationwide league last season. The series stirred and stripped off tittles from Kisumu and Eldoret teams, replacing them with Kabras Sugar and Catholic Monks. A sure turn on of the pitch’s temperatures.

 

The current format as dictated by the Kenya Rugby Union, arranges for a faceoff between position 1 and 4, and between position 2 and 3, consequently, giving an allowance for position four to play in the finals.

Semifinals

Nakuru topped the semi-final phase of the league, after winning all 13 of their matches and accumulating 61 points. KCB finished second with 12 wins and 1 loss for 59 points, with our own Pan Africa Strathmore Leos and Kabras sugar tying on 46 points, with the Leos claiming third by way of a superior for/against aggregate. 

The pitch sweetened for Kabras but got cruel for Nakuru, granting Kabras a 15 points win over Nakuru’s 12, a blow that sent Nakuru the two timer defending champions bereft of the tittle. Pan Africa Strathmore Leos played KCB during the Semi-finals, failing to secure a win with the match ending at a 21-24 loss.

Finals

Outgoing Kenya Cup champs Top Fry Nakuru later on named their sides in the semifinals last phase, with Nakuru clutching at a straw in position 3 and Strathmore Leos taking position 4 on a 21-15 points loss. 

The stakes were high for KCB, a defining moment to their eight year wait to reclaim the Kenya cup, a sure tackle that would not go down without a fight. KCB won the championship, defeating Kabras Sugar under a 27-3 point score.

Leos’ Take on the Season.

Speaking on behalf of the team, Fahad Adil – Strathmore Leo’s team manager expressed the teams’ feel mentioning that their good start at the season was fuelled by their successful pre-season training. “Playing seven matches unbeaten in a row, was simply elating! This season was remarkable. We have managed to keep the energy all through the season. Players were energetic, fresh to take up new challenges and approached each game as if it were their first of the season,” delighted Fahad narrates.

 

The managerial structure has been very fundamental to the team’s growth, a tribute to their good performance in the Kenya Cup Season this year. The management comprises of Head Coach Mitch Ocholla, Assistant Coach; Tito Oloo, Malik Ndemi, Kennedy Mogwire and Fahad Adil.