Impala wins after nervous start

It is baffling that in a sport where an opponent is allowed to evenly contest any restart, few teams see it as an opportunity to not only regain possession but also gain an advantage.

“The set piece is definitely something that the clubs need to work at,” said Bill Githinji, coach of the new floodlight champions Impala. “Most clubs appear rusty in this aspect.”

For example in the line out—rugby’s equivalent to a throw-in in soccer — the team that sent the ball out of play has 50 – 50 chance of contesting for it despite being the offenders.

No wonder rugby is termed a hooligan’s game played by gentlemen as opposing players are allowed an equal contest.

But during the three -week duration of the floodlight tournament, hardly any team was able to string together three successive line -outs.

This turned the team’s basic advantage into their weakest link as teams could not be confident of regaining the ball when an opponent takes it out of play. Without taking the shine from the floodlit tournament, the final was livened up by the clash in approach between Impala and KCB.

To any ardent rugby follower, it was an open secret that KCB would relentlessly attack Impala using their forwards with the likes of Captain Edwin Alubaka and second row Anthony Ogot taking charge.

It hence came as little surprise when KCB’s 20- year -old back row forward Kennedy Isindu walked away with the trophy of the most promising player.

In contrast, Impala’s centre Ian Simiyu walked away with the most valuable player of the tournament for his darting runs that left his opponents clutching the air in his wake.

The fact that Simiyu, who is also in the national sevens team, was Impala’s treasured asset spoke volumes of where team strength lay.

In the first half, KCB followed the script to the letter, pinning Impala in their half as the bankers kept the ball among their forward pack.

While KCB’s style of rugby is effective in wearing out the opposing team, it is a drab game.

This is especially so for many a Kenyan spectator who has been weaned in rugby through the fast -paced action of the Sevens style.

Initially, KCB style paid dividends as they went for the break leading 7 – 6 having scored a try through their forwards against Impala’s two penalties slotted in by Felix Makori.

But the tide changed in the second half, with Impala scoring two quick tries in 10 minutes on top of a penalty for the lead to change hands at 19 – 7 in favour of Impala.

“We were nervous in the first half,” said Paul Oimbo the Impala Captain “But we settled down in the second half and controlled the game.”

KCB were not helped by being reduced to 13 men in the space of five minutes after Brian Omondi and Anthony Ochino were sent to the sin bin in the second half.

From their on Impala raced away with the game with two more tries through their backs that on occasion run rings around their KCB opponents or exploited the huge gaps.