BATTLE WITH A CAUSE!

To all the rugby lovers this is yet another fine weekend for rugby. The action all goes down this Saturday 15^th June during the Elgon cup match between Kenya and Uganda at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani. This is bound to be a real hot match considering the fact that the boys are going to give it their all to take back the cup after losing the title last year to Uganda cranes on a 19-17 aggregate. This was the first time Uganda cranes won the cup after a 6 year dry spell and they will be out to prove that last year was not a fluke.

Kenya and Uganda have met 24 times over the years and as it is Kenya have a better record over Uganda with 14 wins, 1 draw and losing 9 games. However looking at the just concluded Bamburi Rugby Super series the game will not be walk in the park for Kenya. The Rwenzori which was a team from Uganda reached the final and judging by how they played the tournament our boys need to put in 100% to win. The Ugandans are known for their game plan which is mostly shifted to the forwards especially with lineouts. Luckily in the Kenya side we have players who were part of the Ndovu team who demolished Rwenzori, among them most noted was Mike Okombe.

The boys come in well prepared after conducting a 10 day training camp at Stellenbosch, and Western province in South Africa under the new rugby 15’s coach Jerome Paarwaters. Hopefully we will get to see them show case what they learnt on their camp. Even before the camp watching the games of the players in their different clubs everybody has stepped up their game hence the team is bound to make us proud not forgetting that the Kang’ethe brothers also make a comeback. Joseph Kang’ethe and James Kang’ethe bring in more power straight from Australia where they are based. The two were very strong forwards during the time they played for Kenya Harlequeens. Everyone will be out to see them back on the pitch once again.

This will not be the only game that day; the opening match will be between Kenyatta University’s Black Blad and Mean Machine of University of Nairobi. It is a good thing to see that the versitys are also recognized. This game will kick off at 1:30 I predict a machine win with more than 20 points.

 The game to watch out for will be 3:30pm game when the Kenya’s Lionesses play Uganda’s lady cranes in the women’s Elgon Cup dubbed “Taking it back for Abedeen”. The Lionesses are bound to come guns blazing because this not only rugby but it is all about keeping the legacy of their late captain Abedeen Shikhoyi alive. Abedeen died last year after sustaining injuries last year during the Elgon much. She suffered a displaced neck vertebra in Kampala during the 1^st leg of Elgon cup. The Lionesses went on to win that game 15-3.