South Coast
Pirates coach Tony Khadambi says Saturday’s game against log leaders Mwamba RFC
is their biggest game of the KRU Championship regular season.
The game
pitting log leaders Mwamba and second-placed South Coast Pirates is the
highlight of the last weekend of the regular season.
Two points
separate the two teams that were relegated from the Kenya Cup last season. Mwamba
lead the log with 40 points, followed by the South Coast Pirates two points
behind.
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) Cougars are third with 34 points, but the students have played one game less than the top two teams. The three teams are in the race for a home semi-final.
Khadambi said: “It is a big game with a home semi-final slot on the line. We are not changing who we are because of it. The systems and discipline that got us here are what we will rely on.”
“We respect
Mwamba, but we are focused on executing our plan and taking the opportunity in
front of us. No extra pressure on the boys, but we just trust in our work and
belief in ourselves,” remarked Khadambi ahead of the game planned for the Goan Institute in Nairobi.
JKUAT
Cougars will intensify their hunt for a home semi-final slot when they battle
United States International University – Africa’s (USIU-A) Martials in a Thika
Road Derby.
Coach Smith
Muhoya expects a tough duel against the relegation-threatened USIU-A Martials. “They
will throw everything at us. We must be mentally ready. Coming from the loss
against Kisii, and with the team still hurting from that. We shall seek to make
amends,” he said.
He added: “We expect a huge challenge at the scrums from their forwards and
also at the carry on open play. We therefore need to come to the party at scrum
time and also shore up our defence.”
He said his
side is fitter and tactically astute. “We
need the points to solidify that home semi-final slot, and that’s what we are
going for in this game,” noted Muhoya.
Fourth
placed the Catholic University of East Africa (CUEA) Catholic Monks travel to
Kisii for an encounter against Kisii Rugby at Cardinal Otunga High School,
Mosocho. Kisii Rugby is unbeaten at home this season.
National Youth
Service (NYS) Spades hosts the University of Nairobi’s Mean Machine at the NYS
Headquarters, while Mombasa RFC hosts Homeboyz RFC at Mombasa Sports Club.
In the
relegation dogfight, bottom of the table Western Bulls welcome 11th
placed Zetech University Oaks at the Bull Ring in Kakamega.
