The pieces are seemingly falling in place after match day two at the 10th edition of the Bamburi Rugby Super Series. The SDV Transami Cheetahs and the Lions have come good from a Pool A that on paper looked like being the pool of death. The Cheetahs overcame the Nguvu Sharks 11-7 on match day one at the RFUEA grounds, following this up with a 50-10 demolition of the Coastal Bulls when the tournament shifted location to the Jamhuri Park on match day two. The Lions started their campaign with a 45-6 win away to the Bulls on match day one, following this up with a gutsy 15-8 win over the Sharks.
The two wins on the trot saw the big cats each accumulate nine points, an unassailable lead but this doesn’t water down the significance of their clash next weekend at the Jamhuri Park when winning the group and landing a “favorable” semi final draw will be on the agenda. The Nguvu Sharks, semi finalists in 2011 will now play for pride when they host the Coastal Bulls.
Dimension Data Rwenzori finally succeeded where many had failed, beating a UAP Rhinos side that was undefeated in BRSS since their 33-9 loss to the Lions in the 2008 final. The 17-15 Pool B win for Rwenzori not only ended the Rhinos sixteen match unbeaten run, a streak that had seen them win the tournament three years in succession between 2009 and 2011, but also ensured that this pool remained wide open, with three teams, including KCB Victoria who beat the Mumias Sugar Buffaloes 17-7 in Mumias, still in contention for semi final qualfication.
The Mumias Sugar Buffaloes started the tournament with a 43-31 loss to Dimension Data Rwenzori in Kampala,a match in which they rallied late, reducing the deficit to twelve points, a result that had many of their supporters hoping that this could be the year they went past the group stages. This was not the case as they went down to a home defeat, losing 17-7 to the visiting KCB Victoria from Uganda. All but knocked out of the tournament, the Buffaloes travel to Nakuru on match day three, playing for pride and looking to ruin the Rhinos chances of making the BRSS last four.
The action continues on Saturday 19 May 2012 with matches in Nairobi, Nakuru and Kampala.The match day three previews will be released in subsequent bulletin
About Michael Kwambo
