Kabras crush Nakuru to lift Rift 10s title ahead of Oilers clash

The Kenya Cup and Enterprise Cup champions got off to a flying start through Adrian Kwesa, who has been in scintillating try-scoring form. He broke from his own half and raced clear for a try, converting it for a 7-0 lead.

The sugarmen were then reduced to nine men when Mike Okello was sin-binned, but that did not blunt their attacking edge. 

From an attacking lineout, Levin Ochieng sprinted the length of the field to score a second try.

Teenage sensation Roy Maruti sliced open the Nakuru defence to score under the posts, stretching the lead to 21-0 at halftime.

On resumption, Kabras defended resolutely, repelling waves of Nakuru attacks to seal their second title in three years.

In the semifinal, the Kakamega-based side were pushed to the limit by Oilers, eventually winning 5-0 in sudden-death extra time, with Maruti grabbing the decisive try in a tightly contested encounter.

It was sweet revenge for Kabras, who had lost 15-0 to Oilers in last year’s final.

Nakuru had booked their semifinal slot with a 12-0 win over KCA University RFC, while Oilers secured bronze after beating KCA 29-7.

In the quarterfinals, Kabras, who did not concede a try on the second day, thrashed Multimedia University RFC 45-0. Oilers saw off Kabarak University RFC 34-5, KCA edged Catholic University RFC 13-10, while Nakuru beat Strathmore University RFC 14-10.

Head coach Carlos Katywa will now turn his focus to the Enterprise Cup and Kenya Cup title defence in the coming weeks as Kabras chase history, aiming to become the first club since Nondescripts RFC in the early 1990s to win five consecutive league titles.