Saturday’s Kenya Cup final between Kabras Sugar and Menengai Oilers was an epic battle for the ages.
Taking place at The Bull Ring in Kakamega County, this match was a clash between David and Goliath…David being Oilers from Nakuru with Kabras assuming the tag of Goliath.
However, Goliath won….
It was also the first Kenya Cup final pitting two teams from outside Nairobi.
Even more interesting was that this final was happening thirty years after another national rugby final pitting teams from outside Nairobi, though at school level.
In 1992, Njoro High School, from Nakuru District (now Nakuru County) met Kakamega High School from Kakamega District (now Kakamega County) in the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Assoication (KSSSA) national final, Njoro winning 13-6 on the day at the Kisii High School.
One may say poetic justice was served, because this time round, it is the team from Kakamega that won a national crown, Kabras edging a very determined Menengai Oilers side 34-28 in an enthralling final.
Overall, Saturday’s game was worthy of the occasion it was honoring, the plucky lads from Menengai Oilers eager to prove that their semifinal win over KCB was no fluke, and for 47 minutes of the encounter, they certainly were within touching distance, first taking an 18-8 lead into the breather, before leading 21 -8. That they rallied to tie the scores at 28-28 with about 10 minutes left on the ticker shows you how bad they wanted it.
For Kabras, they were not taking matters lying down, showing great resilience in first overcoming that deficit, before surviving a late scare from the Oilers to hold on and win their first title since 2016.
A great game of rugby from both teams, and a fitting end to the 2021/22 Kenya Cup season.
Up next in the rugby calendar is the Enterprise Cup before the Barthes U20 Trophy and National Sevens Circuit take place.
Photo Credit: Arigi Obiero for the Kenya Rugby Union