Kabras Sugar maul Quins to win Sisimka Cup
Kabras Sugar Captain Dan Sikuta (third right) and teammate Lawrence Buyachi lift Sisimka Charity Cup trophy after beating Kenya Harlequins 29-10 in a match played at Nyayo National Stadium on February 20, 2021.
What you need to know:
- The curtain-raiser for the 2021 Kenya Cup season, played without fans due to the coronavirus pandemic, saw Quins take the lead through an Evin Asena penalty against the run of play after Kabras had camped in their half for nearly quarter an hour
- Mzingaye Nyathi's Kabras capitalised on the two-man advantage to widen the gap to 19-3 through a Brian Juma try
- Both sides exuded confidence ahead of Kenya Cup kick-off on February 27
Kabras Sugar Saturday hammered Kenya Harlequin 29-10 in Sisimka Charity Cup at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
The curtain-raiser for the 2021 Kenya Cup season, played without fans due to the coronavirus pandemic, saw Quins take the lead through an Evin Asena penalty against the run of play after Kabras had camped in their half for nearly quarter an hour.
Kabras, who topped the regular season in 2019/20 which was halted by coronavirus pandemic March last year, responded through Jone Kubu's try four minutes later.
The Fijian made amends for missing a penalty seconds earlier as he crossed the whitewash under the sticks after dancing through several tackles. However, he missed an easy conversion.
Kabras Sugar's Jone Kubu (second left) takes on Kenya Harlequins defence during Sisimka Charity Cup match played at Nyayo National Stadium on February 20, 2021.
The sugar millers kept knocking on the door but they were kept at bay by some resolute defending from Quins before Odhiambo made it 10-3 by scoring at the corner. Kubu made a successful conversion for a 12-3 lead at the break.
Kabras started the second half more strongly than the first, getting on the scoresheet through Derrick Ashiundu. Things went from bad to worse for Quins after Lyle Asiligwa was yellow-carded and debutant Leroy Kamau red-carded for infringements.
Mzingaye Nyathi's Kabras capitalised on the two-man advantage to widen the gap to 19-3 through a Brian Juma try. George Nyambua then piled more misery on Antoine Plasman's men with another try as the game became one-sided.
Quins had the gas to get a hard-earned try through Dennis Muhanji after he caught Kabras defence flat-footed near the 22-metre line and sprinted to the try line.
Kabras Sugar Captain Dan Sikuta (right) breaks away from Kenya Harlequins Evin Asena during Sisimka Charity Cup match at Nyayo National Stadium on February 20, 2021.
Asena converted the try for the Ngong Road-based side to reach double-digits for the first time after their last two defeats ended 21-3 in February 2019 and 34-3 in January 2020.
Both sides exuded confidence ahead of Kenya Cup kick-off on February 27.
“Winning this cup is a big step for us that we are ready for the league,” said Kabras captain Dan Sikuta who noted they were better conditioned than Quins. He dedicated the win to his father who passed on last year saying he was his biggest fan.
Quins captain Elisha Koronya said his side lost due to indiscipline. “We were down for the last 20 minutes of the second half and this really cost us.”
