Kabras Sugar aim to lift Great Rift Championships

Kabras Sugar's Barry Robinson passes the ball during their Kenya Cup match against Homeboyz at ASK Jamhuri Grounds. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

With the skipping of 31st edition of the Great Rift 10-a-side Championships by defending champions KCB, Kabras Sugar are the top seeds as the tournament kicks-off at Nakuru Athletic Club on Saturday morning.

Fresh from retaining their Kenya Cup title, Kabras Sugar start their campaign with a match against Strathmore Leos in Group B before tackling Technical University of Kenya (TUK) in their second match later in the afternoon.

A total of 12 teams are taking part in the event, which for the first time since inception will be held for one-day owing to a number of reasons, which organisers said was beyond their control.

“We should have cancelled it after all but we decided to proceed with it as a one-day competition so as not to disappoint our rugby lovers. But, next season, it’ll return to its normal traditional set-up,” said tournament director Wesley Kidinga.

Hosts Nakuru RFC are in Group A alongside Molo RFC, Zuri and NYS Spades and they commence the title chase with a match against NYS Spades.

Head coach Simon Warui said his boys are in a perfect shape for the epic tussle, which they are using to build the young side ahead of the Rugby Super Series and the National Sevens Circuit.

“We are using this tournament to build these young players before we engage them elsewhere in the forthcoming national competitions. It’s good for them (players),” said Warui.

Menengai Cream Oilers who are the top seeds in Group C is another side aiming to scoop the title.

They start the title-chase with a match against Catholic Monks before facing Kabarak University.

The eleventh hour withdrawal of Administration Police complicated matters in Group C, which forced the organisers to go back to the drawing board to come up with new fixtures after bringing in Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad as their replacement.

“We had to seek another side that could replace Administration Police who pulled out in the last minute,” said Kidinga.

SATURDAY’S SELECTED FIXTURES

Group A – Molo v Zuri 8am

Nakuru v NYS Spade 8.50am

Group B – Kabras Sugar v Strathmore Leos 9.15am

Group C - Menengai Oilers v Catholic Monks 10.05am

Group C – Menengai Cream Oilers v Kabarak University 12.10pm

Group B - Kabras Sugar v TUK 2.10pm