Mwamba head coach Paul Murunga has identified physical conditioning, defensive structure and tactical discipline as key areas the side must address ahead of their return to the Kenya Cup next month.
The Black Shirts suffered a heavy 64-11 defeat to KCB in the Impala Floodlit Tournament semi-final last week, exposing areas that need improvement as they prepare for life back in the top tier of Kenyan rugby.
With three weeks remaining before the Kenya Cup season kicks off, Murunga says the technical bench will use the lessons from the tournament to strengthen the squad and improve its competitiveness.
“The Floodlit Tournament has shown us that we need to address our conditioning to enable our players to be physically stronger and play at high intensity throughout the season. It is something that can be fixed before the season gets underway,” Murunga said.
Despite the heavy defeat to KCB, the former Kenya sevens and Chipu coach was encouraged by his players’ determination against an experienced opponent.
“Despite the big scoreline, I saw fight and hunger from our players against a very experienced KCB side. It was an eye-opener to what we can expect in the league after spending a season in the Championship. We will take our lessons from there and come back better,” he said.
“We must look at our defensive alignment, work on our one-on-one tackling and be resolute at the gain line to stop teams from getting over.”
Mwamba are returning to the Kenya Cup after spending a season in the Championship.
They secured an immediate return to the top flight by edging JKUAT Cougars 34-33 in the Championship final, reclaiming their place among the country’s elite clubs.
However, Murunga has set a realistic target for the upcoming campaign, with survival taking priority as the side adjusts to the demands of top-tier rugby.
“Our target is to stay in the Kenya Cup, and that means winning matches against the teams around us and being competitive against the big sides such as champions Kabras, KCB and Menengai Oilers,” he said.
Mwamba will face Nondies in the Impala Floodlit Tournament’s third-place playoff on Saturday, providing another opportunity to sharpen their preparations and build momentum ahead of the league campaign.
Murunga will be hoping his charges deliver a stronger performance as they seek to finish the tournament positively and carry valuable lessons into their Kenya Cup return.
