On form Impala angling for Kenya Cup playoffs
Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 11.07.21. | 17:12
Impala are looking to qualify for the playoffs of the Kenya Cup after a good run of form.
2009 Kenya Cup champions Impala Saracens have set their eyes on securing a ticket to the playoffs following their back to back wins after edging Top Fry Nakuru 25-19 on Saturday.
Impala are currently on a purple patch having secured wins against two Nakuru sides, Menengai Oilers and Top Fry Nakuru to hand them a shot in the arm in their playoffs bid.
The 10-time league champions also picked up a draw against a rejuvenated Mwamba side on Match Day 6 following their disappointing start to the Kenya Cup where they lost to Kenya Harlequin.
Speaking to Mozzart Sport, Impala assistant coach Oscar Osir noted that despite taking it a game at a time they are training their focus on the playoffs.
Nakuru land a try at the death. Conversion is unsuccessful
— Kenya Cup (@TheKenyaCup) July 10, 2021
FT scores@ImpalaSaracens 25 - @NakuruRFC 19#KenyaCup
“For us, we are taking it a game at a time, of course, if we can make it to the playoffs that is as good as it gets, every time you win, it puts you in a good place our focus is on the things we work on week in week out,”
“We were really poor in the first half, they really dominated us in the scrum and we turned that around and not only did we cancel out that dominance we came up to dominate the scrum so that was what gave us the momentum to win,” said Osir.
Impala head coach Mitch Ocholla was busy in preparations for Kenya Lionesses Rugby Africa Women's tournament which they, unfortunately, lost to Madagascar on Sunday morning.
Impala counted themselves lucky after heading into the halftime break with a slender 8-7 lead after coming under the cosh to Nakuru with Osir revealing the changes at halftime.
Here's your 23 for Saturday's game against @NakuruRFC
— Resolution Impala Saracens (@ImpalaSaracens) July 9, 2021
1.Nesta Okotch
2. Kenneth Murangiri
3. Kelvin Ronnoh
4. Frank Aduda
5. Rainer Omondi
6. Evans Omondi
7. Clinton Musonye
8. Cosmas Valentino - V. Captain
9. Sam Kimakwa
10. Martin Juma
11. Tony Khadambi
“We decided to play a bit tighter as opposed to sending the ball out, we needed to earn the right to go wide by taking the ball up the pack and grinding a bit more which narrowed the defence and gave us space on the side,”
“We also made some personality changes in the front row which gave us more weight and power for the scrum so we had good set-pieces which facilitated the platforms that we got for our attacks,” added Osir.
