Nondies fail to travel to Kakamega for Kabras clash due to communication glitches

The Kenya Cup’s matchday 5 fixture that was supposed to pit current log leaders Kabras Sugar against the visiting Nondescripts RFC at the Kakamega Showground on Saturday 8 January 2022 will not go on as planned.

This is after Nondies failed to travel for their away match citing late communication by Kenya Rugby Union. KRU require teams to have results of their rapid Covid-19 tests 24 hours before kick off which was going to be an impossible ask to the record Kenya Cup champions who had not carried out the tests by Friday when they were supposed to travel.

"We received an email from the union yesterday (Thursday) at 2 pm saying that every team must do a PCR test 24hrs before the game and that is a very short time. Even if we test on Friday, the results may not come back on time and if they come on Saturday while we are in Kakamega, it may mess up our plans if we have positive cases. It is also very expensive given the short notice," Nondies Team Manager Kevin Were recounted.

Having then not travelled for the match, the team wrote to KRU seeking for a postponement of the match as they based their argument on the late timing of the communique. At the time of writing, KRU were yet to respond to their request.

"We have asked for a postponement. If the game was in Nairobi it would not be hard to plan around but travelling to Western complicates a lot of things. The email from the Union came very late. I wish they told us before Christmas," Were noted.

The email from the Union sent to clubs on Thursday afternoon said, “due to the current wave of COVID-19 infections, we recommend all teams to do a PCR COVID-19 test before the resumption of the league. This will be followed by weekly rapid antigen tests done 24 hours before match days. The results should be submitted to the league and fixtures department 24 hours before kick-off.”

Kenya Cup action resumes over the weekend with six games lined up

There are still five other games that will take place on Saturday across different venues.

Kenya Cup Match Day 5, Saturday 8 January 2022

Blak Blad v Mwamba, 1pm, KCB Sports Club, Ruaraka, Nairobi

KCB v Resolution Impala Saracens, 3pm, KCB Sports Club, Ruaraka, Nairobi

Strathmore Leos v Masinde MUliro, 3pm, Strathmore University, Madaraka, Nairobi

Homeboyz v Topfry Nakuru, 3pm, Jamhuri Park, Nairobi

Menengai Oilers v Kenya Harlequin, 3pm, ASK Showground, Nakuru

Kabras Sugar v Nondescripts, 3pm, ASK Showground, Kakamega*