KCB winger Floyd Wabwire in against Quins during the Impala Floodlit tournament/HANDOUTA revamped Eric Shirley Shield kicks off on Saturday with a new two-tier conference structure, introduced to tackle persistent walkovers and reduce operational costs.
Traditionally a feeder competition to the Kenya Cup, the Shield has now been split into Eastern and Western conferences for the regular season.
The Eastern Conference features KCB II, Impala II, Nondies II, Strathmore II, Kenyatta University II, Daystar II and Quins II. The Western Conference includes Kabras II, Menengai Oilers II, Nakuru II, Kisumu II and MMUST II.
After the regular fixtures, the top two teams from each conference will progress to the semi-finals, with the winners advancing to the final.
Kenya Rugby Union director of fixtures, Leslie Mwangale, said the restructuring is designed to make the league more competitive while cutting travel expenses.
“We have had issues with the previous format, walkovers, and the cost of having two teams travel to far-flung areas, which made it quite costly. So with this new format, the costs will come down and we will see an improved product in terms of competitive matches,” he said.
The Shield will also transition to an age-grade competition. This season will run as an under-23 league, with the plan to phase it down to under-20 within the next three years. Mwangale said the shift is intended to strengthen pathways for emerging talent.
“We want to give opportunities to our youngsters, especially those who leave high school. Previously in ESS, we had players aged over 30 playing in the competition, making the event look like a Sunday league event, which is not healthy for growth,” he said.
He added that the format will ultimately deepen the pool of players available for national age-grade teams. “It will boost depth for Chipu going forward. I believe our national team coaches will have so many players to choose from as we prepare for the Barthés Cup next year.”
In Saturday’s fixtures, KCB II face Daystar Falcons II, Nondies II meet Impala II, and Blak Blad II take on Strathmore II.
