Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad marched into the Impala Floodlit semi-finals once again after defeating Kenya Harlequin 35-13 in a quarterfinal clash played at Impala Club on Saturday.
Blad, who were eyeing back-to-back semi-final appearances after stunning KCB last season, settled quickly into the match. They opened the scoring through two successive penalties from Enock Oduor, giving them a 6-0 lead inside the first 15 minutes.
Blad Blad try
Their early dominance paid off when inside centre Bryson Ogamba picked the ball from a scrum and sliced through the Quins defence to score under the posts. The conversion was successful, extending the lead to 13-0.
Quins pulled one back through a penalty to make it 13-3, but Blad restored their 13-point cushion just before the half-hour mark with another Oduor penalty. Quins added another three points soon after to narrow the gap to 16-6 after 33 minutes of play.
Blad responded perfectly, continuing to dominate in the scrums. From a well-executed scrum move, they shifted the ball to the right flank and crossed the line for another converted try to head into the break leading 23-6.
EDITOR’S PICKS:
- List of rugby prospects from high school
- Colman Were keen to redefine Kenyan rugby’s physical edge
- Follow Scrummage Africa on Facebook
- Collins Injera inducted into Fiji’s Rugby Town Walk of Fame
After the restart, Quins showed more intent following Patrice Agunda’s halftime team talk. They were rewarded when their scrum-half spotted a gap, sold a dummy, and dived over near the posts. The conversion reduced the deficit to 23-13.
Blak Blad, however, remained composed and continued to pile pressure. They missed an earlier penalty but eventually broke through in the 67th minute, Obat Kuke drew in defenders before setting up winger Winstone Ayieko, who finished neatly in the corner.
The students controlled the final stages, adding more a try off a quick tap to seal an emphatic 35-13 win and secure their spot in the semi-finals.
