Varsity sides University of Nairobi’s Mean Machine and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST) RFC were both relegated in the final day of the regular Kenya Cup season over the weekend.
The two teams were relegated from the Kenya Cup after Machine lost 49-5 in the hands of KCB RFC while MMUST lost 18-14 to Mwamba RFC at the MMUST Grounds in Kakamega.
Both MMUST and Machine will now shift their focus to the second tier also known as the Championship.
In the MMUST fixture Griffin Chao scored the first try with Eric Cantona adding the extras, 7-0 the score line.
Visiting Mwamba RFC however had other ideas a few minutes later with two successive tries and one conversion, bringing the score to 12-7 heading to the intervals.
It was a cocktail of events after the break with MMUST Jadah Abdon scoring a try, which was converted, however Brian Kivasia’s two penalty kicks gave the visitors a 15-14 lead.
MMUST lack of experience on the defence line force the centre referee to penalise them which Mwamba did not disappoint to take the scores to 18-14 to relegate the varsity side to the second tier.
On the other hand, Machine were relegated courtesy of a 49-5 loss to former Kenya cup champions KCB.
Their demotion brings the curtains down on a three-year stay in Kenya’s top-tier rugby club competition.
On the same breath Kabras Sugar after securing the top position after regular season while KCB confirmed home semi-final berths with the bankers coming in second with 51 points as the Oilers settled third with 37 points.