NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 12- It is first against second when defending champions KCB RFC host Homeboyz RFC in one of six Kenya Cup match day five encounters on Saturday as the top tier league resumes after a three-week break for the Christmas and New Year festivities.
Both level on 20 points, these two have registered bonus points wins in each of their four outings to date with KCB just shading top position due to a for/against record but something will have to give on Saturday.
Either the unbeaten record or a halt to each side’s winning streak in the event that they do play out a stalemate.
Kabras Sugar are equally unbeaten after winning their opening four matches, they however sit third on the log one point adrift and will certainly look to reap from the spoils of war at Ruaraka when they host fourth placed Kenya Harlequins at the Kakamega Showground.
While Quins have been poor travelers to Kakamega, they come into this encounter with a spring in their step, having recovered from that narrow 39-41 match day one loss to Homeboyz to post three wins on the trot.
Fifth placed Impala Saracens host stablemates Kisii, placed tenth on the log, in a match penned for the Impala Club.
Sixth placed Blak Blad will be looking to sustain the momentum behind their decent run of form when they play away at the Nakuru Athletic Club against eighth placed Nakuru, who by their lofty standards, have not had the best of starts to the campaign.
Wanyore have picked to three losses on the trot after blowing away Kisii in their opening outing in November. Mitch Ocholla, in his first season in charge of Nakuru, will be out to get the best out of the two time Kenya Cup champions as they plot their march up the table.
Meanwhile, Mwamba, currently placed eleventh on the table, have the opportunity to register their first win of the season when they welcome bottom of the table Mombasa while Nondescripts host the Strathmore Leos at the Jamhuri Park.
In the second tier, six matches are on the cards.
Log leaders Menengai Oilers will face off with Western Bulls in what is undoubtedly the match of the round, this match taking place at the Oilers home venue at the Nakuru Showground.
The Oilers sit cozy atop the division with 20 points coming off four successive bonus point wins while former Kenya Cup side Bulls are in third with 13 points, unbeaten in their three outings to date.
Probably the Oilers sternest since they started participating in the Kenyan league, this match will certainly be a watershed moment in both sides quest for promotion to the Kenya Cup league.
Other matches on the day pit former Kenya Cup sides Catholic Monks and USIU against each other.
This hasn’t been the best of campaign thus far for the Monks who find themselves in an unfamiliar seventh spot on the log after one win and three losses that have seen them collect 6 points.
USIU currently sit fourth on the log with 8 points from successive wins in their two matches to date.
The onus is upon the Monks to register a win that could breathe life into their quest for playoff qualification while USIU will be hard pressed to stay unbeaten and focused on the fight for top flight promotion.
Second placed Mean Machine play away to JKUAT Cougars, Kisumu host Moi University, Egerton Wasps welcome University of Eldoret while Ngong Warriors host South Coast Pirates.
Kenya Cup fixture
KCB v Homeboyz –KCB Sports Club, 4pm
Kabras Sugar v Kenya Harlequins – Kakamega Showground, 4pm
Impala Saracens v Kisii – Impala Club, 4pm
Nakuru v Blak Blad – Nakuru Athletic Club, 4pm
Mwamba v Mombasa – Railway Club, 4pm
Nondescripts v Strathmore Leos – Jamhuri Park, 4pm
Championship fixtures:
Catholic Monks v USIU – Catholic University, Karen, 4pm
Ngong Warriors v South Coast Pirates – Kibiko Secondary School,Ngong, 4pm
JKUAT Cougars v Mean Machine – JKUAT,Juja, 4pm
Kisumu v Moi University – Mamboleo Showground,Kisumu, 4pm
Egerton Wasps v University of Eldoret – Egerton University, Njoro, 4pm
Menengai Oilers v Western Bulls – Nakuru Showground, Nakuru, 4pm
-Additional reporting from KRU-
