The KRU Championship is expected to kick off this weekend with six matches on schedule as the sides chase points early on in the campaign.
Homeboyz RFC vs Zetech Oaks – RFUEA Grounds, 1 PM
The Deejayz find themselves in new territory after spending 13 years in the top league. During that time, they challenged strongly for the league three times, won the Enterprise Cup, and claimed two National 7s Circuit titles.
Now, they drop to the second tier and face Zetech Oaks for the first time, aiming to emulate relegated teams like Strathmore Leos and Nondies, who bounced back strong.
Zetech Oaks, crowned champions of the Nationwide League, return to the Championship under coach Ramsfield Matekwa. They’ll be eager to retain their place in the league and avoid back-to-back relegations.
Kabras in a scrum contest against Homeboyz. Photo Courtesy/ Joseph Likuyani for Kabras
CUEA Monks vs TUM Marines – CUEA Pavilion, 3 PM
This will be the first-ever meeting between these sides in the KRU Championship, with both teams taking different paths to reach this second-tier league. The CUEA Monks were relegated from the top tier after managing only one win and seven points in the 2023/24 season.
They’ll aim to start strong with prior experience in the Championship.
TUM Marines, on the other hand, joined the Championship after finishing second in the National Nationwide League, finally making it to this level after several unsuccessful attempts. They’ll be keen to make an impact and will look to secure a result at the Pavilion on Saturday.
MMUST vs Mean Machine – MMUST Grounds, 3 PM
This will be the first Championship encounter between MMUST and Mean Machine since MMUST earned Kenya Cup promotion by beating Machine 21-12 in Kakamega in 2021.
They last met in the 2022/23 Kenya Cup season, where Machine edged MMUST 24-23 at the UoN Grounds. Their 2024/25 season matchup didn’t happen due to an ambulance issue, with MMUST awarded the points.
MMUST narrowly missed promotion back to the Kenya Cup last season, topping the standings with 44 points and only one loss. Mean Machine will aim to turn their fortunes around after narrowly avoiding relegation on a head-to-head tiebreaker against Kabarak University.
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Daystar Falcons vs USIU Martials – Daystar University, Athi River, 3 PM
The Falcons won last season’s reverse fixture against USIU Martials, defeating them 24-10 at Athi River. Both teams warmed up for the season at the Impala Floodlit Varsity category, with Daystar reaching the semis before falling to Rift Valley Varsities. USIU exited earlier in the quarterfinals.
Both teams are chasing a strong start, and the match promises to be an exciting encounter.
Western Bulls vs UoE Trojans – Bullring, Kakamega, 3 PM
Western Bulls start the campaign after a challenging 2023/24 season where they reached the playoffs. They missed their opening match due to a walkover against South Coast Pirates and later lost points to MMUST, so they’ll look to set things right this season.
Last season, they defeated the UoE Trojans 32-9 in Kakamega. Echulusi aim to make a strong start, knowing the competitive nature of this tier.
Western Bulls players huddle. PHOTO/Western Bulls
UoE Trojans, meanwhile, hope to improve on last season’s poor away performances, which included only one road win—a walkover against Kabarak. They suffered heavy losses, including a 102-3 defeat to South Coast Pirates and a 72-point loss to MMUST.
JKUAT Cougars vs Mombasa SC – JKUAT Juja, 3 PM
The last meeting between these two teams saw Mombasa SC secure a narrow 18-17 victory over JKUAT Cougars in Mombasa. JKUAT enter the new season looking to build on their previous playoff experience, while Mombasa will aim to repeat last season’s success and advance further in the Championship.
