Menengai Oilers' Timothy Omela runs into a Quins defender during a recent match at the RFUEA ground /FILEMenengai Oilers are targeting a third consecutive Impala Floodlit crown to lay down a marker ahead of the Kenya Cup season kick-off in November.
Speaking on Sunday, head coach Lawi Buyachi said the side has learned valuable lessons from a difficult previous campaign and is keen to atone for past failures.
The Nakuru-based outfit suffered a shock 35-17 defeat to Nondies in the Kenya Cup quarterfinals and a 29-20 loss to Kabras Sugar in the Enterprise Cup semifinals.
The former Kenya Simbas back-row pinpointed consistency and fighting spirit as the main hallmarks for the upcoming season.
“We could not execute consistently under pressure in the big matches last season; in the big moments we came unstuck, especially against the big sides,” Buyachi noted.
Addressing the team’s fighting spirit, he added that they folded up too easily against top-tier opponents. “There was hunger, yes, but we could have done more across the campaign and shown more fight,” he said.
Buyachi expressed confidence that what he has seen in pre-season training gives the side a renewed edge and hunger for major prizes, specifically the Kenya Cup and Enterprise Cup.
“The boys are determined and relishing the battle; they came up empty-handed last season. It is a long season, and we want to be up there come the end of the season,” he said.
Looking ahead to the Impala Floodlit tournament, which starts in three weeks, Buyachi wants his team to win and build momentum for the 15s season.
“We have won the past two seasons and our goal is to win a third title. We expect a tough battle from the likes of KCB, Nondies, Quins, Impala, Mwamba, and the rest, so we have to be at our best across the three Saturdays to retain our title,” he said.
Buyachi confirmed that although the club received an invitation to play at the Kampala International Sevens tournament, they will not participate.
Instead, they are prioritising the 15s season, focusing all their energy on the Impala Floodlit and the Kenya Cup.
