Sports
KCB Lions stay in contention with victory over Machine
The Lions stayed in contention for the 2011/2012 Kenya Cup with a 29-20 win over Mean Machine RFC at the UoN Grounds.
This win means they are level on points with Mwamba, tied on 30 but placed third in the league due to a lower goal difference. Strathmore lead the standings with 32 points.
The Cubs also registered an away win, beat Machine II 16-3 in the Eric Shirley Shield at the same venue.
KCB Lions fall to Quins at the RFUEA, lie third in Kenya Cup Standings
The match between defending league champs Quins and KCB on Saturday 4 February 2012 at the RFUEA was the weekend’s top bill and both sides began this fixture tentatively, engaging each other cautiously but it was Quins who made the first foray into their opponents territory, camping on the bankers five but Fabian Olando eased the pressure, booting the ball for touch.
KCB would regain possession from the resulting line out, winger Darwin Mukidza stepping past his marker but losing the ball after being unable to field his punt over an on rushing Quins player.
The home team would enter KCB territory, winning a penalty off a infringement with Dennis Muhanji putting it over, the score board reading Lunch Bar Quins 3 Kenya Commercial Bank 0.
KCB would dominate from the restart, first going for goal off a Quins infringement but Olando’s attempt sailed wide. Still in possession, they would attack, mauling on the home team’s try line, setting up the platform for their backs to spread the ball but they couldn’t penetrate and were caught out, Isaac Adimo’s big kick turning the tide as Quins entered KCB territory, winning a penalty off an another infringement. Quins would attack with Kenya lock Tony Mutai touching down under the posts. Muhanji’s conversion taking the score to 10-0. Mukidza would finally ground the ball for KCB, his unconverted try at the stroke of half time taking the scores to 10-5.
Second half action saw Willy Ambaka stretch the hosts lead, his try putting Lunch Bar Quins 15-5 up before KCB scrum half Collins Kimani broke from a scrum down in midfield, engaging on a nippy, searching run before offloading to winger Sebastian Shivoka who grounded in the corner, making the game a five pointer as Quins led 15-10.
Ambaka would land his brace, a sublime finish, fielding Tusker Man of the Match Adimo’s cross kick and touching down at the corner with Victor Sudi converting for a 22-10 lead.
With timing winding down, KCB threw on Kenya scrum half Peter Mutai, as they tried to keep in touch with their hosts. Their drive saw them rewarded with a try after a period of sustained pressure, veteran prop Arthur Shikwe touching down, his try earning KCB a bonus point for losing by seven or less points.
Final Score: Lunch Bar Quins 22 Kenya Commercial Bank 15
Twisty rally ushers in 2012 KCB Championship
It was a dust raising afternoon at the Ruringu Stadium in Nyeri Saturday as the first day of the KCB Micro Banking Rally kicked off.
Alastair Cavenagh was the quickest in the special spectator stage with an 8000 strong crowd cheering him and the other drivers as they set the pace in day one of the rally.
Cavenagh clocked 1minute :09 seconds to complete the 1.2 Kilometer stage, followed by Peter Horsey a second behind, 1 minute: 09 seconds followed by his brother Alex one second adrift to finish in third place.
Earlier in the day, the rigorous reconnaissance exercise ended with the drivers describing Mount Kenya route course “twisty and technical.”
The first 6kilometers of CS2 Wariruta-Ngunguru stage were very steep and narrow and most of the crews felt there is need for extra caution.
“If somebody breaks up on CS2 then its going to stop the entire rally traffic,” said Subaru driver Nooormohamed Mohamed.
After the shot 1.2kilometer stage at Ruringu, the KCB Micro Banking Rally proper restarts today.
The event, which opens the eight leg KCB Kenya National Rally Championship, runs 14 stages with a competitive mileage of 160kilometers.
Scrutineering took place in the morning at Green Hills hotel. Drivers recounted their experience after recceing the route. A total of 50 drivers have enlisted for the event organized by Rallye Sports Club and co-sponsored iWay Africa, ALS, Car Track and Fly 540.
While teams were busy in scrutineering, KCB Foundation continued with their successful CSR at Nyeri Provincial General Hospital where they donated hospital equipment worth Ksh. 520,000. In attendance was the KCB Foundation Chairman Sue Omanga and KCB Group Chairma Peter Muthoka.
“Some stages are just too quick. Others are simple but really technical,” said Oilibya Racing driver Charles Hinga.
“CS2, 3 and 4 are very tricky stages. They are narrow and laden with tricky ruts. But its encouraging that I have good shocks this time round so I will drive very fast. I really love twisty terrains so I guess it going to be fantastic fun to all,” Subaru driver Noormohamed continued.
Former Pirelli star driver contender Raaji Bharij sounded quite enthusiastic after recce on his maiden drive in his new Mitsubishi EVO9.
“The route is really twisty and technical. I have just recced the fastest stage (CS6) of my life,” said Bharij.
The 2WD cars will from today henceforth tackle the full rally. Yesterday, they were pondering on how to endure the full distance.
“I have never seen such a long rally its like two rallies in total. First two stages two stages are too tight with lots of corners. The rest of the route opens up with few rocky stretches,” two times 2WD former Champion Leo Varese.
The rally begings at 8am on Sunday with the drivers and their crews tackling the 14 stages laid out by the Rallye Sports Club, who are the organisers of this round.
The ceremonial finish was held at the Ruringu Stadium at around 4:30pm.
Quins (6) v Kenya Commercial Bank (2)
KCB, currently placed second on the Kenya Cup log will come into this fixture off the back of a 57-0 home win over Kisumu in their last Kenya Cup outing. They are pursuit of a win that could see them top the table depending on the outcome of events involved Mwamba, Strathmore with whom they are level on points and Nakuru who are just a point adrift. All in all, this should be a very competitive fixture, living up to the billing of previous matches between two sides. Not one to be missed.
Hosts and reigning league champions Lunch Bar Quins have since their three match winless streak that culminated in a 13-0 loss away to Nakuru on 14 January 2012, gone two matches unbeaten, registering back to back wins against difficult opponents in the form of Mwamba RFC and next door neighbors Impala RFC. They face another difficult opponent in the form of visiting Kenya Commercial Bank. These two sides kept their fans on the edge of their seats last season, Quins beating KCB 30-24 in the first leg encounter when Allan Omuka chased a seemingly hopeless cause, gathering the ball with his side trailing 23-24, his converted giving Quins the win.
One would also have to refer to the Enterprise Cup quarter final where Isaac Adimo’s left foooted drop goal with Quins trailing 20-23 saw them eventually beat the bankers 23-22, marching on to the semis before lifting the title. When these two sides last met in the Kenya Cup, the match ended in a 19-19 draw/ The Lunch Bar Quins may have had a slow start to the season but after two straight wins that have their tails up, they will look to make it three wins on the trot as they maintain they push for yet another successful title defense. They rallied from 10-13 down to beat hosts Impala 22-13 on match day eight and will relish the opportunity to face KCB.
KCB Nyeri rally good to go
Kenya National Rally Championship title sponsors have renewed their sponsorship for this year’s eagerly awaited season.
Speaking at the launch of this weekends rally on Tuesday, to be held in Nyeri, head of KCB Microbanking Simon Kariuki outlined the banks promise in supporting the championship.
“As we launch this years rallying circuit we are delighted to announce the renewal of our sponsorship in support of the KCB rally 2012 to the tune of Ksh 36 million. This funding will go towards facilitating the Kenya Motor Sports Federation in hosting the rallies throughout the season.” Said Kariuki.
However KCB who have sponsored the championship for the last eight years, three seasons at a time, have only committed sponsorship for this year.
“Since 2003, the first time we sponsored motor rallying; Kenyan motorsport has become synonymous with KCB. We have taken the rally to many parts of this country, entertaining and educating the public in the process while also building the banks brand equity.” He added.
Over the last two years, the bank has spent over Ksh6 million in community development support as part of the rally series.
“The bank, will continue to work with organizers and co-sponsors to support the needs of the communities in neighborhoods where rally would be hosted in areas of Health, Education, Environment, Entrepreneurship and Welfare in line with the mandate of the KCB Foundation.”
Meanwhile, Kenya Motorsports Foundation chairman Dave Macharia, confirmed that Green Hills Hotel is the host partner for the event.
More than 50 entrants have confirmed participation in the 2 day event that will see the Two Wheel Drive class competing alongside the KNRC.
A new class has been introduced, dubbed the Clubman Championship that will offer a chance to new rally drivers to hone their skills.
Fans will have the opportunity to view rally cars in full action at Ruringu Stadium which is also the venue for the service park.
After the February 4 spectator stage, cars will head straight to the Greenhills for an overnight perc ferme and restart the following day for the main rally.
The last time Nyeri residents last had a feel of turbo charged machines was six years ago when Nanyuki Rally’s spectator stage ran at the town centre, attracting thousands of spectators.
But the last time full rally action was witnessed in Nyeri was three decades ago.
Click to download Route Map
Samoan rugby manager hit with ‘pig fine’
Samoa’s manager at the recent Rugby World Cup in New Zealand has been symbolically fined 100 pigs by his home village over allegations he misbehaved at the tournament.
Leaders in the Pacific island nation’s Leauva’a village ordered Mathew Vaea to pay 100 sows for tarnishing the chiefly title of “tuala” that had been bestowed on him.
Leauva’a chief Vaifale Iose said Vaea’s alleged actions at the tournament, where the national team had a disappointing campaign and failed to reach the quarter-finals, had brought his position into disrepute.
“The title of tuala received bad publicity in the media because tuala Mathew failed to perform some of his duties as the manager for the Manu Samoa,” he told the Samoa Observer newspaper.
However, he said rather than physically hand over pigs to the village, Vaea had paid a fine of 2,000 Samoan tala ($840), equivalent to their value, and made a formal apology to village elders.
Samoan captain Mahonri Schwalger last month provided a damning assessment of team officials’ conduct during the tournament in a report to Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi.
The skipper said Vaea “did not want to be there” and would disappear for days at a time, accusing him of drinking regularly when he was present and treating the campaign like a holiday.
Tuilaepa, who is also chairman of the Samoa Rugby Union (SRU), ordered a full audit of World Cup funds after receiving the report. The audit is scheduled for release next month.
Since the tournament, the SRU has advertised for a new team manager, as well as a head coach and two assistants.
The SRU has not announced whether Vaea and the other officials whose positions have been advertised still retain their jobs and nobody from the SRU was available Tuesday to clarify the matter.
IMPALA FLOODLIGHTS FINALE
FLOODIES FINALS FIXTURES
Clubs
Strathmore VS Machine
Uni Final
Impala II vs Machine II
School
Mang’u vs Upper Hill
Defending champions Strathmore Leos snuck into the 2011 Zuku Impala Floodlit Final courtesy of a 6-5 win over Nakuru RFC in a tense semi final played at the Impala Club.
Clubs Semi Final
Strathmore 6 Nakuru 5
This fixture began on a tentative note, both sides approaching the match cautiously. It was Strathmore who went ahead after Samuel Motari slotted home a penalty after a Nakuru RFC infringement. Nakuru would respond, taking the game to Strathmore. Their inroads into Strath territory were constantly bogged by the students’ dogged resistance in what was an enthralling first half characterized by end to end action.
The second half saw Strathmore go in pursuit of points, throwing everything they had at Nakuru but were caught offguard when Eric Mochache ground the ball to see Nakuru lead 5-3 with precious minutes left on the ticker. Motari’s late penalty sealed the win for the Leos who reached their second successive final.
Machine 28 Quins 14
Mean Machine reached their first Floodie final since the title winning exploits of 2006, beating Kenya Harlequin FC 21-14 in an entertaining semi final fixture.
Lock Kevin Gacheru, who played for Kenya’s Under 20’s at the 2009 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy in Nairobi, put the students 5-0 up, grounding the ball from a rolling maul after early Machine dominance. Simeon Malaba converted for a 7-0 lead, before adding a penalty that saw Machine tails up at 10-0.
The Quins response was quick, George Bagwasi touching down with Lyle Asiligwa converting to narrow the scores to 10-7. Asiligwa would put Quins ahead, scoring and converting his own try to see his side lead 14-10 before Brian Wasunna grounded to see Machine take a 15-14 lead into the interval.
A Malaba penalty and a Brian Mwangi drop in the second half and a try at the death saw Machine book their final berth courtesy of the 28-14 result.
Universities Semi Finals
Defending Universities champions Strathmore bade the tournament farewell after going down 27-26 to Mean Machine II while Impala II beat JKUAT 15-12 to set up a date in next weekend’s universities final.
Schools Semi Finals
Mangu are through to the schools final courtesy of an 8-0 win over Nairobi School. They face Upper Hill who were beneficiaries of a walkover after their opponents Moi Forces Academy turned late for their encounter.
Collated Semi Final Results
Clubs
Strathmore 6 Nakuru 5
Machine 28 Quins 14 Universities
Impala II 15 JKUAT 12
Machine II 27 Strathmore II 26
Schools
Mang’u 8 Nairobi School 0
Upper Hill walkover against Moi Forces Academy
RWC winner Henry to take up Barbarians reigns
Fresh from guiding the All Blacks to their first World Cup title in 24 years, Graham Henry will coach the Barbarians in their November 26 match with Australia at Twickenham, organisers announced.
Henry, who earned redemption in the eyes of his compatriots after his side avenged a 2007 World Cup quarter-final defeat by France in Sunday’s final, will have a star-studded cast at his disposal against the Wallabies.
His World Cup-winning side is represented by Sonny Bill Williams, Keven Mealamu and Piri Weepu, along with two of the Springboks’ 2007 World Cup winning stars, Bryan Habana and Victor Matfield.
Two-time World Cup winners Australia were beaten by the All Blacks in the World Cup semi-finals.
Meanwhile, international media heaped generous praise on New Zealand on after they shed their hated “choker” tag and eased the pain of recent deadly disasters with a nail-biting Rugby World Cup final victory.
“Haka! That’s the sound of the All Blacks clearing their throats to win the World Cup after 24 years of choking,” said the Sydney Morning Herald’s main sports page, after the All Blacks’ narrow 8-7 win over France.
“Long dark cloud lifts as All Blacks claim World Cup,” said another Herald headline, while Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post read: “Chokers? We’re the champions”.
New Zealand’s razor-thin victory at Eden Park sparked raucous celebrations in the country of four million, which has long dominated world rugby but had failed to lift the Webb Ellis Cup since 1987.
The country was also hit by one of its worst mining disasters last November, and in February, a major earthquake in Christchurch killed 181 people and shattered infrastructure including a World Cup stadium.
And New Zealand’s rugby-mad public, who are also battling an economic slowdown, suffered an anxious six weeks before the All Blacks, hot favourites throughout, finally emerged unbeaten and holding the golden trophy.
Sydney’s Daily Telegraph called it “Black Magic” while many newspapers paid tribute to France, who defied their legion of critics to come within a whisker of causing the tournament’s greatest upset.
Mick Cleary, writing in the London Telegraph, said it was the best final yet in seven editions of the World Cup.
“The wait is over, but my word how the whole of New Zealand had to live on its nerves to see their precious All Blacks claim their first World Cup in 24 years,” he wrote.
“France were simply magnificent, from the moment they advanced on the haka in an arrow-shaped formation with the captain Thierry Dusautoir at the front, they defied every prediction that they would be a soft touch.
“They were resolute, unyielding and hell-bent on taking the game to New Zealand in the best World Cup final ever.”
British tabloid The Sun said: “Rarely has such a coveted prize been won with such an unconvincing display. But the All Blacks were the best team over the tournament, winning all their seven games.”
In Japan, which will host the World Cup in 2019, columnist Mitsuo Kamiya said authorities urgently needed to raise rugby’s profile to match the passionate support seen in New Zealand.
“Japan have missed a golden opportunity to popularise the sport,” he wrote in the Yukan Fuji tabloid. “It would be difficult to make the World Cup in Japan a success, unless the union’s executives change their mentality.”
For The Guardian’s Robert Kitson, it was simply the fear of failure that drove the All Blacks to their win.
“Some World Cups are won by a flash of genius or a moment of defensive confusion,” he wrote in the British newspaper.
“This one simply boiled down to the All Blacks’ fear of walking off their favourite field as beaten finalists in a game they were expected to win by the length of the North Island.”
Gartland mulled cheating in Semi final
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, October 19 – Wales coach Warren Gatland has revealed he considered cheating in the team’s World Cup semi-final defeat by France.
Gatland said he had thought about asking a prop to fake an injury which, with his team already a man down after the sending off of captain Sam Waburton, would have led to uncontested scrums.
“After we had already lost (prop) Adam Jones (to injury) we discussed, ‘do we fake an injury to one of our props to go to uncontested scrums?’,” Gatland said.
“Morally, I decided that was not the right thing to do. I could easily have done that, but in the spirit of the game I didn’t think that was the fairest or right thing to do.”
However, any side trying to fake an injury runs the risk of being found out by International Rugby Board sideline officials whose job is it to check players are going off for genuine medical reasons.
Openside flanker Warburton saw red in the 19th minute at Eden Park on Saturday after Irish referee Alain Rolland sent him off for a dangerous “tip tackle” on Vincent Clerc that ended with the France wing landing head first.
Gatland again voiced his displeasure at Rolland’s ruling, saying: “I believe Alain Rolland made the wrong decision.
“I think the right decision was a yellow card.
“In terms of the rules, he is entitled to give a red card but every game is different,” the New Zealander added.
Wales, despite being a man down for more than an hour, scored the only try of the match through scrum-half Mike Phillips.
But France just did enough to win 9-8 and will now face hosts New Zealand in Sunday’s final at Eden Park.
Meanwhile Wales play Australia, beaten 20-6 by the All Blacks in the second semi-final, at Eden Park in Friday’s third place playoff.
All Blacks in sight of coveted rugby world cup
AUCKLAND, Newzealand October 17 – New Zealand was at peace with itself after the All Blacks savaged Australia to power into a World Cup final where they will start as overwhelming favourites against France.
This rugby-obsessed nation was on edge ahead of Sunday’s semi-final, fretting over 24 years without the Webb Ellis Cup and concerns regarding the fitness of hero captain Richie McCaw.
But the All Blacks swept away any doubts with a masterful 20-6 defeat of the Wallabies to set-up what will be a re-match of the inaugural World Cup final this coming Sunday which, then as now, was staged at Eden Park.
The All Blacks were too strong for France in 1987, winning 29-9, and have given every indication they will be again in the climax of this World Cup.
France have been tagged the worst team in the tournament’s history to qualify for the showpiece match after clinging to a 9-8 win over 14-man Wales in Saturday’s other semi-final.
But New Zealand coach Graham Henry, all but vindicated after surviving calls to be sacked following the team’s shattering World Cup quarter-final loss four years ago, has tried to temper the national euphoria.
“The job hasn’t been done yet,” Henry said. “I think it’s really important that we understand that and that we get our feet back on the ground over the next two days and build again for this test.
“It’s a huge game of rugby. We’ve got a lot of history with France in the Rugby World Cup and we respect them.”
New Zealand have conquered France once already in this tournament, during a 37-17 pool win, but Henry will need no reminding ‘Les Bleus’ remain a World Cup bogey team for the All Blacks.
New Zealand fans were inconsolable after a stunning 20-18 loss to France in the 2007 quarter-finals in Cardiff.
Previously, France denied the All Blacks an appearance in the 1999 final with an incredible fightback to win 43-31 at Twickenham.
While the All Blacks’ Eden Park fortress remains all but impregnable, it was France who were the last visting team to win in Auckland in 1994, sealing victory with the breathtaking ‘try from the end of the world’, one of rugby’s greatest all-time scores.
France continue to thrive despite a combination of player unrest and challenges to coach Marc Lievremont’s authority that would have destabilised many other sides.
No sooner had Lievremont defiantly insisted France were worthy of a place in the final, despite Wales scoring the only try of the match when a man down, than he was publicly castigating his players for defying team orders and partying on after their semi-final win.
“I asked the players not to go out and I learned a little later some of them did,” Lievremont said.
“We spoke about this and I told them what I thought of them, that they were selfish, disobedient and that for four years they have been on my case. But at the end of the day it won’t stand in the way that we are in the final.”
It is in this madcap environment Lievremont, who is being replaced as France coach by fellow former international Philippe Saint-Andre in December, will somehow have to prepare his players to beat New Zealand — a result virtually the whole rugby world thinks beyond them.
“We’ve been extremely lucky. I think there are a lot of people amazed to see us qualify and think we are not talented. But we play with our hearts,” said France captain Thierry Dusautoir.
Meanwhile, Australia and Wales will have to cast aside their dejection and back up for Friday’s bronze medal match at Eden Park.
KCB FALL TO MWAMBA AT KABEBERI SEVENS
KCB Lions fell 14-7 to Mwamba at the semi final stage of the Kabeberi Sevens. Collins Kimani's try converted by the outstanding Kelvin Ochieng saw the Lions lead 7-0 at half time but converted second half tries from Mike Agevi and Humphrey Kayange sunk KCB who gave a gallant display.
The Lions are currently third on the National Sevens Circuit with 76 points. They will feature at the Driftwood Sevens in Mombasa on Saturday 1st October.
Collated Day Two Results
Main Cup Final
Quins 24 Mwamba 22
Plate Final
Strathmore 14 Homeboyz 7
Bowl Final
Kisumu 29 Machine 17
Shield Final
Catholic 17 KCA 12
Main Cup Semis
Mwamba 14 KCB 7
Quins 24 Nakuru 12
Plate Semis
Homeboyz 19 Impala 12
Strathmore 5 Nondies 0
Bowl Semis
Kisumu 29 Eldoret 7
Machine 12 Blak Blad 5
Shield Semis
Catholic 12 Daystar 7
KCA 19 Mombasa
Main Cup Quarters
Mwamba 33 Impala 7
KCB 17 Homeboyz 5
Quins 5 Nondies 0
Nakuru 14 Strathmore 0
Bowl Quarters
Kisumu 29 Kenya Poly 12
Eldoret 21 USIU 0
Machine 17 Bungoma 5
Blak Blad 5 Egerton 0
Shield Quarters
Daystar 31 Molo 0
Catholic 14 Multimedia 0
KCA 26 Methodist 5
Mombasa 27 Comras 0
KCB LIONS CONTINUE ON WINNING STREAK
The Lion hearted boys in green used all tricks in the hunting books to beat Nondies 26 - 12 to lift the plate finals in Nakuru.To reach the finals KCB Rugby had to fight hard to beat Strathmore 14 - 7 in the Plate semi-finals.
Action this coming weekend shifts to Ngong road in the Christe Sevens.......The boys in green have to bag another silverware ! !
Bankika na Boys in Green ! Bankika na KCB Rugby ! ! !
KCB WINS PRINSLOO SEVENS PLATE
Kenya Commercial Bank won the Prinsloo Sevens plate with a 26-12 win over Nondies on Sunday 4th September 2011. Ben Nyambu put Nondies ahead, capitalizing on a KCB error to score a converted try under the posts. The bankers regrouped, Collins Kimani's converted try levelling the scores at 7-7. Andrew Amonde's breakaway try saw KCB take a 14-7 lead into the interval.
Kimani completed his brace, giving KCB a 19-7 lead before Nondies pulled one back, taking the scores to 19-12. Philip Wamae sealed Nondies fate, his converted try at the death giving KCB the 26-12 victory.
KCB Coach Howard Kimani was pleased with the display from his young side, saying that this made up for elimination from the Prinsloo Sevens main cup when they lost 22-12 to Homeboyz in the quarter final .He also said that his side are gunning for a main cup win in the remaining rounds of the National Sevens Circuit.
Calvins Biko
Position: Fullback/Winger
Age: 26
Calvins Biko joined KCB in 2004 after completing his studies at Maseno School a year earlier. He featured in the reserve side before working his way into the KCB first team squad in 2005,going on to feature in the side that won three successive Kenya Cup league titles between 2005 and 2007. He would earn a call up to the national fifteens team in 2007 before being kept out by injury and academic commitments. Now fully recovered and in fine form, Biko,a graduate of Kenyatta University, returned to the national fifteens squad in 2010 and was part of the Kenyan team that won the inaugural Victoria Cup, a tri-nations tournament that also featured Uganda and Zimbabwe.
The fleet-footed Biko is one of the most experienced players in the current KCB side and is renowned for his wonderful offensive play, characterized by his trademark side-steps that leave many an opponent stranded as he sets up attacking platforms for his team mates.
Moses Amusala -
Position: Prop
Age: 28
Moses Amusala, an officer in the Kenya Navy, joined KCB from Mombasa Sports Club in 2009 and has had a meteoritic rise since making the move to the Lions Den. A year after joining KCB, Amusala earned a call up to the Kenya A side. After a barnstorming 2010 season, he was called into the Kenya squad for the 2011 Victoria Cup campaign, marking his full international debut with a try in the 27-10 victory over Uganda at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi. He has now established himself as one of the best tighthead props in Kenya.
Ronnie Mwenesi
Nickname: Nanda
Position: Lock
Age: 26
Arguably one of the best locks in Kenyan rugby for the past number of years. His prowess at the lineouts, in particular, has led to numerous plaudits and acclaim. These accolades have been earned through his consistently strong performances at all levels. This has enabled Mwenesi to form a devastating locking partnership with Dennis Mwanja.
Mwenesi hails from a rugby playing family, his elder brother, Steve Nandasaba is a former KCB captain,leading the side to second place in the 2002 Kenya Cup and also featured for Kenya in the same position.Indeed, Mwenesi’s nickname “Nanda” is in reference to his brother.
Mwenesi is a strong player full of heart and one of the mainstays of the KCB and Kenya fifteens national teams.
Matthew Musita
Nickname: Musix
Position: Fullback
Age: 26
Regarded as one of the game's best fullbacks, Matthew Musita moved to KCB from Mombasa Sports Club at the start of the 2010 season. Assured, calm and collected on offense and defense, Musita has a safe pair of hands that gives his team safety when fielding high balls from opponents. He is a bag of tricks on offensive, and has a burst of speed that beats his opponent, occasionally scoring tries and in other instances setting up attacking platforms for his team mates. It is this combination of factors that have seen the Kenya Navy officer earning selection for the Kenya A and Kenya fifteens national teams over the past couple of seasons.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
THE KCB NATIONAL RUGBY TEAM
Fabian Olando
Nickname: Fabic
Position: Winger
Age: 20
He captained his Kakamega High School side to victory in the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association’s national fifteens rugby championships in 2009 and also led Western Schools to victory in the schools category of the Safari Sevens earlier that year. The college student has cemented a first team position at his club side Kenya Commercial Bank as well as playing for the Kenya U-19 and Kenya A sides. Olando has recently broken into the Kenya Sevens squad.
Comfortable playing anywhere in the backs, this prodigious talent has an accurate boot, combines just enough speed with great vision and a nose for the try line, making him one of Kenya rugby's hottest young properties.
Curtis Lilako Nickname: Curtlow
Position: Hooker/Prop
Age 21:
Lilako joined KCB in 2009 straight out of high school, earning a call up to the Kenya U-20 national team that took part in the International Rugby Board’s Junior World Rugby Trophy hosted in Nairobi in the same year. He made his way into the KCB first team, becoming a regular and has since gone on to feature for the Kenya A side and recently earned a call up to the Kenya fifteens squad ahead of its 2011 assignments.
Pursuing a degree course at the United States International University- Africa (USIU), Lilako is definitely one of KCB and Kenya’s brightest prospects in his position.
Andrew Amonde Nickname: Man Opede
Position: Back row
Age: 27
Andrew Amonde, who joined KCB from Kisumu RFC in 2006, has made a name for himself as a regular on the current Kenya Sevens and Fifteens National Teams.
He is a powerful loose-forward that is punishing in defense,solid and brutally powerful on offense. Without peers at his back row position,he is adept as a flanker and will occasionally feature in the backs, playing as a center largely due to his defense breaking runs. He is one of the most experienced players in the current KCB squad, winning the 2006 and 2007 Kenya Cups and can be counted on to offer leadership moving into the future.
| Driver | Carl Flash Tundo |
| Home Town | Sosyambu |
| Navigator | Tim Jessop |
| Division | One |
| Class | Group N |
| Car | Mitsubishi Evo 9 |
| Team | Dalbit Petroleum |
| Profession | Farmer |
| 2010 Ranking | 5th |
| Career Highlights | 2011 KCB Safari Rally Winner 2009 & 2004 KCB Safari Rally Winner 2007 & 2009 KNRC Champion 2005 Kenya Motor Sportsman of the year |
| DATE | PROPOSED CLUB | RALLY NAME | LOCATION |
| Feb 12-13 | EASRL | KCB Personal Loans Rally | Voi |
| Mar 19-20 | KMSF | KCB Bankika Rally | Nairobi |
| Apr 23-24 | NRG*/WKMC | KCB SME Banking Rally | Eldoret |
| Jun 17-19 | KMSF | KCB Safari Rally | Nairobi |
| Jul 15-16 | FMU | KCB Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally | |
| July 30-31 | RVMSC | KCB S&L Mortgages Rally | Nakuru |
| Sept 10-11 | *EMC | KCB Advantage Banking Rally | Kisumu |
| Oct 01-02 | RAC | KCB Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally | Rwanda |
| Oct 22-23 | SUC | KCB Guru Nanak Rally | Nairobi |
| Dec 10-11 | *KMSF | KCB Mtaani Rally | Mombasa |
The Kenya Commercial bank has been sponsoring motor sports in Kenya for the last eight years. KCB often works in partnership with the Kenya Motor Sports Foundation (KMSF), which runs the sporting side of all rallies. In 2003 and 2004 KCB sponsored The Safari Rally; the toughest rally with the strongest heritage that had lost its place in the World Rally Championships and also in the hearts of Kenyans. This took place after several years of poor management and lack of funding to run first-class events. In 2005 and after two years of great success, the bank decided to sponsor the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC). KCB is now in the final year of a three-year KNRC deal signed in 2009. Through the sponsorship, the Bank has effectively run over 50 events, where hundreds of competitors have taken part. The KNRC consists of eight events, one being the infamous Safari Rally. The rallies take place in different locations across the country, making each rally unique, and capturing different localities at any one time. KCB Safari Rally The Safari Rally is considered by many to be the world’s toughest rally. It first took place between May 27- June 1 (1953) as the East African Coronation Safari. It was conducted in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1960 it was renamed the East African Safari Rally and kept that name until 1974, when it simply became the Safari Rally. In 2010, the KCB Safari Rally proved to be very well attended with over 60 entries from Kenya and around the world. The 2011 KCB Safari Rally was the 59th Safari Rally to be organized.
