Luvisia Amanga
KCB Rugby booked their place in the Kenya Cup final with a ruthless 52-7 demolition of Nondescripts in a one-sided semi-final clash played on Saturday, 25 April at the KCB Sports Club, Ruaraka.
Boosted by the return of their Kenya Sevens stars, the Bankers delivered a statement performance, underlining their title ambitions with a dominant display despite playing a large part of the match a man down.
Nondies came into the clash riding high after a 35-17 upset over Menengai Oilers in the quarterfinals, but their momentum was quickly halted by a fired-up KCB side determined to make amends for last season’s semi-final disappointment.
KCB wasted no time asserting control, with Festus Shiasi opening the scoring through an early unconverted try. Samuel Asati followed shortly after with another, as the hosts stamped their authority on the game.
The Bankers’ task grew tougher in the 13th minute when John Aswani was sent off, but the numerical disadvantage did little to slow them down. Instead, they tightened their grip on the contest, showcasing composure and attacking precision.
Brian Wahinya extended the lead with a penalty before Nick Okullo powered over for a converted try. Kenya Sevens co-captain George Ooro then joined the party, dotting down with Wahinya adding the extras.
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With momentum firmly on their side, KCB ran riot. Richel Wangila and Ooro added further tries, both converted, before Shiasi returned to complete his brace and cap off a commanding first half.
The second half offered little respite for Nondies, who struggled with handling errors and failed to capitalize on their limited chances in the attacking zone. KCB continued to dictate the tempo, punishing every mistake with clinical efficiency.
Nondies managed a late consolation through Ronny Omondi, with Timothy Lugalia converting, but it did little to dent KCB’s dominance on the day.
The result sets up a blockbuster Kenya Cup final, with KCB set to face Kabras RFC on Saturday, 9 May at the ASK Kakamega Showground in Kakamega, in what promises to be a thrilling title decider.
