Women’s Kenya Cup: Yamanashi Impala take on Northern Suburbs

Two top contenders for the inaugural KRU Kenya Cup Women’s title, Yamanashi Impala and Northern Suburbs, clash today at the Ngong Racecourse at 1 pm.

The other fixture will be between Ruck It Queens and Mwamba where the Black Shirts will be looking to claim the command when they take on newbies in their first 15-aside meeting to be played at the RFUEA grounds at 1 pm.

The two fixtures will curtain raise the two Kenya Cup fixtures at the RFUEA and Ngong Racecourse.

At RFUEA, the women’s rugby fans will also get the opportunity to catch up the men’s action where Kenya Harlequin will host Homeboyz while at the Racecourse, Nondescripts will play Strathmore Leos.

The third fixture pitting Homeboyz and Nakuru has been postponed. Homeboyz women’s rugby has struggled to pull the ladies back in their respective places in time for preseason and the season itself to force postponements in the six-team round-robin competition but the side is expected to honour the two postponed fixtures in January.

In the opener round played on November 27, the Deejays match against Northern Suburbs was postponed while Mwamba raided Nakuru for a bonus wins off a 38-13 win as Yamanashi Impala gave Ruck It Queens a baptism of fire courtesy of a 97-3 home win.

Yamanashi head coach Maria Otieno is optimistic her side will roar in the second meeting that will be the first for the visitors who need to start on a winning note in a round-robin competition where a loss is a huge setback.

“Against Mwamba it’s always a tough and entertaining match but I am glad we had a perfect preseason and a good opener at home.

It was crucial for us to start our campaign with a win over Ruck It but Mwamba also won in their opener and that makes it a good match to win this weekend.

We have worked on quick passes, scrum down and rucks and we hope for the best this Saturday,” Otieno told People Sport.