Nondies RFC tactician praises former KCB coach's influence despite defeat to Bankers
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 28.04.26. | 11:04
The coach feels that his charges have improved massively since the arrival of Wanyaga from KCB
Nondies RFC head coach Moses Wanyaga has lauded the influence of Strength and Conditioning expert Mike Shamiah, despite his side suffering a humbling 52-7 defeat to KCB Rugby in their Kenya Cup semifinal clash.
The Ngong Road-based club saw their impressive playoff run come to an abrupt halt at the hands of the Bankers, who dominated proceedings from the onset to book their place in the final.
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Despite the scoreline, Wanyaga believes the season has marked significant progress for his side, largely driven by Shamiah’s arrival.
“We were thoroughly beaten, especially in the first half, where KCB dominated both territory and possession. We struggled to put phases together and made basic errors that allowed them to keep piling pressure on us. That pressure eventually tore us apart in the opening half. Defensively, we were too narrow, and they exposed us out wide,” the tactician offered.
The defeat stood in stark contrast to Nondies’ commanding 35-17 victory over Menengai Oilers in the quarterfinals, a performance Wanyaga described as one of their best this season.
“Against Oilers, it was a completely different story. We controlled possession and territory, won the contact area, and really outplayed them in the first half. They had no answer. We generated a consistent go-forward ball. Defensively, we were disciplined, spread well across the field, and made our tackles. That’s something we failed to replicate against KCB,” he said.
Nondies’ resurgence this season has been closely linked to the return of Shamiah, who joined the club in November 2025 after a sabbatical following his departure from KCB Rugby in 2024.
His exit from the Bankers came shortly after long-serving head coach Curtis Olago ended his 13-year tenure.
Shamiah left KCB on a high, having helped the team secure a third consecutive Kabeberi 7s title with a commanding 29-7 victory over Menengai Oilers.
Since first joining KCB in 2014, he built a reputation for overseeing player fitness, skill development, and injury rehabilitation, with additional experience working with Kenya 7s, AFC Leopards, and the Kenya Lionesses.
He also holds a World Rugby Level Two Coaching (7s) Accreditation earned in 2023.
At Nondies, his immediate focus was on addressing endurance issues that had plagued the team earlier in the season.
The side had shown a tendency to fade in the closing stages of matches, costing them crucial results, including the Floodlit final loss to Oilers and a narrow defeat to Nakuru.
However, signs of improvement have been evident, particularly in this year’s matches, where the team displayed greater staying power, an area widely credited to Shamiah’s conditioning program.
“Hard work pays off. The boys have put in a lot of effort this season, and it’s starting to show. Shamiah joining us has been a real boost. He has taken the team through the phases well, and that has translated into better rugby on the pitch,” Wanyaga noted.
Even so, he acknowledged that mental resilience remains a key area for improvement.
“Mental strength is one of the key areas we need to improve. Against KCB, we didn’t rise to the occasion. The players seemed to freeze, and we were unable to play our usual game,” he said.
The side will now shift their focus to the National 7s Circuit set to kick off in July.