KCB RFC head coach Andrew Amonde wants his side to sharpen their attacking play and improve their set-pieces as they prepare for Saturday’s Impala Floodlit semifinal against Mwamba.
The 10-time champions were pushed hard by Menengai Oilers in last week’s quarterfinal before securing a 31-24 victory. Amonde believes his side must be more clinical in the opposition’s 22-metre area to avoid wasting scoring opportunities.
“Looking at the statistics, we had seven entries into the opposition’s 22 and came away with four tries. We had opportunities to score more, but we failed to finish them. This week, we have worked on sharpening that aspect of our game,” said Amonde.
The former Kenya Sevens captain also identified the scrum and lineout as key areas requiring improvement ahead of the clash with Mwamba.
“The two facets of play are important because they help us secure possession and provide a potent weapon in both attack and defence. We had a couple of missed throws, so we will have to work on them and ensure we perform better against Mwamba,” he said.
Amonde is also considering changes to his starting lineup, with Nygel Amaitsa, Richel Wangila and Samuel Asati among the players in contention.
KCB experimented with their combinations against Oilers, fielding Fortune Arturo and Charles Osgood, and the coach says he will continue assessing his options as the team builds towards the new season.
“We experimented against Oilers last weekend, and we will continue doing so this weekend. We have a big group of players to choose from as we look for our best combinations ahead of the start of the season,” Amonde noted.
Beyond the floodlit tournament, KCB are using the competition to prepare for their Kenya Cup campaign as they seek to reclaim the title from long-time rivals Kabras Sugar after a five-year wait.
Amonde said the team plans to play one or two additional matches after the Impala Floodlit tournament to ensure every squad member gets game time before their Kenya Cup campaign begins against Kabras in November.
Despite their ambitions, Amonde expects a stern test from Mwamba, warning his players against underestimating their opponents.
“We are not underestimating them. They have a couple of young, competitive players who will test us. The semifinal will present a different challenge, and we need to be ready,” he said.
