Kabras, Mwamba face-off in Kenya Cup semis

Kenya Cup heads to attractive looking semi-finals on Saturday afternoon with leaders Kabras Sugar hosting Mwamba in Kakamega while defending champions Kenya Commercial Bank welcome on Kenya Harlequin in Ruaraka.

The Eric Shrley Shield and Champions Cup semi-finals will also be held on Saturday.

Kabras Sugar head coach Henley du Plessis has kept faith with the squad that dismantled Quins last weekend even though he has enriched his bench with Steven Ochieng and Steve Oluoch for Joseph Odero and Kevin Kabole respectively.

The players to watch in this match will definitely be World Rugby Sevens Series warriors, utility back Philip Wokorach (Kabras) and flanker Collins Injera (Mwamba), who tie at the top of the try scorers chart with 23 touch downs apiece.

“We have been working on our set-pieces since beating Nakuru three weeks ago,” said Injera. “This is the big match we asked for and we just need to get our focus right.”

'WARNED MWAMBA'

Wokorach warned Mwamba to expect a more lethal Kabras than the one that beat Quins 54-11 in the Enterprise Cup last weekend. “Mwamba should expect more from us,” said Wokorach.

The last time Mwamba beat Kabras (22-17) was during the 2014/2015 regular season.

Mwamba are eying their second appearance in the Kenya Cup final since the league adopted the play-off format in 2012.

Winners will talk away with Sh1 million prize money.

Kabras Sugar topped the regular season with KCB finishing second as both claimed automatic places in the semi-finals while Mwamba and Harlequins had to go through the semi-final play-offs.

Mwamba edged out Nakuru 19-18 while Quins beat 29-14 to set up today’s showdowns with Kabras Sugar and KCB respectively.

KCB, unbeaten at the “Lions Den” this season, lost to Impala 11-10 in the Enterprise Cup semi-final last weekend at Impala Club, but still remain favourites against Quins, who will be seeking redemption after they slumped to a 54-11 hiding at the hands of Kabras Sugar in Enterprise Cup semi-final last weekend.

The bankers' coach Curtis Olago had replaced Tony Onyango, who started at fullback with Isaac Njoroge, who came off the bench. Onyango moves to right wing to replace Vincent Onyango, who goes to the bench.

Samuel Asati and Ken Moseti start at scrum-half and fly-half respectively as Michael Wanjala and Shabaan Ahmed move to the bench.

Olago has kept faith in his pack that started against Impala but has swapped skipper Davis Chenge, who started at open-side flank, with eighth man Peter Waitere.

Quins coach Charles Cardovillis has effected six changes. He has replaced loose-head prop Brian Ochieng, hooker Edward Oseko, right winger Aluda Beda and full-back Lyle Asiligwa with Paul Kioko, Bonface Ochieng, Alex Olaba and Eric Shikuku respectively.

Kioko didn’t play against Kabras in Enterprise Cup while Shikuku and Ochieng came off the bench. Olaba, who started at inside centre against Kabras has had his placed taken by Franc Wanyama, who came off the bench.

Ugandan scrum-half Aaron Afoyworth also gets to start after missing out against Kabras Sugar. He replaces Dominic Osino, who has been benched. Herman Humwa will now partner with Tony Mutai at second row with Malcom Onsando moving to the bench.

KCB, who only lost one match during the regular season against Nondescripts, will be making their seventh appearance in Kenya Cup semi-finals as they chase after their fourth final in five seasons.

Quins have met KCB seven times in the league, winning two and losing the rest. In their last outing, KCB won 24-10.

FIXTURES

Kabras Sugar v Mwamba (Kakamega ASK, 4pm); KCB v Harlequins (KCB Ruaraka, 4pm)

Eric Shirley Shield Semifinals

Kabras Sugar II v Homeboyz II (Kakamega ASK, 2pm); KCB II vs Impala II (KCB Ruaraka, 2pm)

Championship Cup Semifinals

Catholic Monks v Kisumu (Catholic Langata’, 3pm); USIU v Western Bulls (USIU, 3pm)