Impala RFC eyes Floodlit title after thrilling derby victory

Impala RFC head coach Louis Kisia expressed satisfaction with his team after they reached the 2024 Floodlit Tournament final by edging out a determined Nondies side 9-6 at the Impala Club in Nairobi.

Kisia noted that their initial goal was to make it to the semi-finals, with the final representing a bonus.

"Facing Nondies in the Ngong Road derby was intense. They say a derby doesn’t even guarantee tries, and this game truly embodied that spirit. We made it through, which was one of our season objectives. We agreed early on that Floodies would prepare us for the Kenya Cup, allowing us to test different player combinations and systems," Kisia said.

"Our primary aim for Floodies was reaching the semis, and anything beyond that was for the boys to bring the trophy home," he added.

In the final, Impala will face Menengai Oilers, who booked their spot by defeating Blak Blad 22-6. Kisia has challenged his team to kick off their 15s campaign with a title as they prepare for the Kenya Cup season.

"For Oilers, it’s all about how our boys show up on Saturday. We know their strengths and weaknesses, and we want to exploit that while focusing on our strengths," Kisia explained.

"Last weekend, unfortunately, Matoka wasn't at his best with the boot, unlike his performance against Mwamba. We missed seven kickable attempts, which is 21 points on the table. Championships are often won off the boot, so if we capitalize on those opportunities, we stand a strong chance. Our approach will be championship-focused: even if we don’t score tries, we’ll aim to get ahead and maintain that lead."

The former Mwamba and Strathmore Leos coach will be seeking his first title with Impala, just two months after joining the Ngong Road-based club.