Saturday’s Enterprise Cup semifinal provides the perfect platform to use this phrase, “ same monkeys..different forest.”
Why is this so? The two protagonists in last month’s Kenya Cup final meet up once again, and almost a month later, this time in the semifinal of a tournament that was first played in 1930 which will be played at the Kakamega Showground, incidentally on the edge of the Kakamega Forest.
Host Kabras Sugar topped Resolution Impala Saracens 22-5 at the Impala Club on Saturday 7 May 2016 to lift a first ever Kenya Cup title and these two sides renew their fledgling rivalry on Saturday afternoon.
Kabras will certainly leave nothing to chance as they look to conquer the Sarries and enter a maiden Enterprise Cup final as they go in pursuit of the league and cup double.
Expect their play to revolve around their forwards and more so the ilk of Hilary Mwanjilwa, Apenisa Natabua and Anthony Ogot. Fabian Olando, Brian Tanga and Jone Kubu are expected to play pivotal roles in the backline, especially in the absence of Nick Barasa and Edwin Achayo who are away with the Kenya Simbas.
The Sarries fell to a 13-25 Kenya Cup loss to their host in their last visit to Kakamega on Saturday 2 April and come into this fixture minus Nato Simiyu, Simon Muniafu and Eric Kereh who are with the Simbas as well as Kenya Sevens internationals Robert Aringo and Sammy Oliech.
Sarries Director of Rugby, Fred Ollows, in an in-house interview ahead of the clash said, ““This is an enterprising squad looking forward to the Kabras test. Knockout matches have an all or nothing element to them which creates real excitement,” said Ollows. “We’re pleasantly surprised that there are players picking new form at this late point.”