Nondies got the better of Ngong Road rivals Kenya Harlequin for the second game in a row to maintain unbeaten Kenya Cup run, while Kabras Sugar ruthlessly floored Mwamba 76-0.
Callum Oliver’s Nondescripts (Nondies) secured Ngong Road bragging rights for the second consecutive time with a hard-fought 26-24 victory over Paul Murunga’s Kenya Harlequins (Quins) in a gripping Kenya Cup clash at the Ngong Race Course on Saturday afternoon.
After a tense opening 10 minutes, Nondies struck first with a converted try, setting the pace for the derby. However, Quins responded swiftly in the 13th minute through Bill Abuom’s try, which was neatly converted by Robinson Arsena, leveling the scores at 7-7.
Nondies, however, regained their footing and dominated the remainder of the first half. Moses Begi scored a brilliant converted try in the 29th minute, giving Nondies the lead once more. Moments later, Hillary Baraza added another converted try, stretching the advantage to 21-7 by halftime.
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Mokoro is the fourth Kenyan to have dumped Kenya Cup rugby to pursue greener pastures in Romania, and all it took was one game for Quins against Mwamba in late 2023 for the opportunity to pop up.
The Quins came out firing in the second half, determined to close the gap. A well-executed maul in Nondies’ 22-meter box saw Sheldon Khai touch down, and Arsena’s conversion brought the score to 21-14.
Nondies, however, held firm and extended their lead to 26-14 with a try by Maxwell Kipsang, although the conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
Quins refused to relent, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. Substitute Vincent Omondi sliced through the Nondies’ defense to score a converted try, narrowing the gap to 26-21.
The game took another dramatic turn when Quins fly-half Patrick Wainaina delivered a clever through pass to winger Charles Kinyanjui, who landed a try. However, the missed conversion left Quins trailing 26-21.
With time running out, Quins managed to convert a penalty to reduce the deficit further to 26-24. Despite relentless pressure, Nondies held their ground in the final moments to secure a narrow victory, much to the delight of their ecstatic supporters.
Kabras Sugar 73-0 Mwamba
In another Kenya Cup encounter, Kabras Sugar extended their dominance with a resounding 73-0 victory over Mwamba in Kakamega. The win solidifies Kabras’ position at the top of the Kenya Cup standings as the regular season nears its conclusion.
More updates to follow…
