Monks face baptism by fire as Kenya Cup kicks off

The new Kenya Cup season kicks off this weekend with plenty of rugby action lined up across the country.

Defending champions Kabras Sugar will begin their title defense bid with a tricky match up with Kenya cup newbies Catholic Monks at the Kakamega Showground in Kakamega County.

Last season’s runners up Menengai Oilers will face Mean Machine who are returning to the top flight after three years in the lower league.

Kabras Sugar captain Dan Sikuta says the Lurambi boys will go for nothing less than the title, with winning the enterprise cup at the end of the season the icing on the cake.

“We need to defend our Kenya Cup this season including the Enterprise Cup. Nothing is going to change a lot, we just need to polish our structures and work on our game pattern in defense and attack,” Sikuta said.

Driftwood Sevens winners Mwamba RFC will kick off their season with a tough battle against Homeboyz, who made a u-turn on their decision to forfeit the Kenya cup this season.

Mwamba’s experienced winger Collins Injera says they are raring to go for the new season and he adds that the Kenya Cup has greatly improved with the new sides closing the gap to the “big” teams.

“When you see the big teams probably struggling, I don’t think it's struggling; I think it’s the other teams that have caught up with the so-called big teams. Again as you there are very good players with clubs, universities who are really hungry and they really wanted to put their mark on the game.

"From where I stand the local circuit to some extent has really improved but also to some extent you find that some teams can’t have a different style of play,” Injera said.

Kenya Harlequins will hope to cast away their last season’s demons which dragged them into a relegation scrap as they face Kenya cup heavyweights KCB in their opening match at the KCB sports club here in Nairobi.

Strathmore Leos will take on their university counterparts Masinde Muliro University as the final fixture of the opening weekend pit Blak Blad against Top Fry Nakuru.