Baabu backs Mwamba RFC to bounce back as Kenya Cup kicks off

They launch their title hunt against KU Blak Blad while women's defending champions Mwamba  RFC welcome newbies Shamberere on the opening day.

The men’s team finished eighth last season with 19 points and Baabu is keen to write a new chapter this season adding that they are already sharpening their claws ahead of the kick off.

“We must fight for the points and avoid relegation. As a team, we empower upcoming rugby players so as to establish heritage. We will have team two ESS playing as well as Kenya cup main team, last season we did not have team B.”

Defending champions Kabras Sugar start their campaign against promoted Kisumu.

KCB, last season’s runners-up, will begin their campaign against another promoted side Nondescripts while Kenya Harlequin takes on Catholic University Monks.

Maseno University, Shamberere, and Rongo University are the latest additions to the ladies league, which now features eight teams.

Baabu welcomed the move to add more teams to the women's league saying it will heighten the competition, hence quality of the league and a wide pool of talents for the national team.

The competition will adopt a one-off round-robin format, where each team plays the others once.

The top four teams emerging from this phase will advance to the semi-finals. The finals will be held in April next year.

Women fixtures

Impala RFC vs Rongo University

Northern Suburbs vs Maseno University

Nakuru RFC vs Western Spears

Men fixtures

Kabras Sugar v Kisumu

Kenyatta University Blak Blad v Mwamba

Menengai Oilers v Homeboyz

KCB v Nondescript

Nakuru v Strathmore Leos

Kenya Harlequin v Catholic Monks