Impala Saracens are reaping wholesomely from where they sowed, and this is the reason why the team is the one to beat in the Kenya Cup. 

According to club chair Oduor Gangla players from Impala’s junior ranks are the ones wearing the Kenya Cup jerseys as they take down opponents in the top flight league.

No pressure

Impala is currently top the league with 65 points, four ahead of the only team to have beaten them in the Kenya Cup this season – Kenya Harlequins.

“We are in a good place, currently number one. We are not putting any pressure on ourselves. We have no major expectation other than making it to the playoff which is a different ball game,”

“We are seeing teams which started sluggishly improve very fast and the guys who are champions are not going to let go easily. The month of March and April will be very interesting,”

Gangla admits that there is some good rugby play coming from his side, just like in the old good days.

“The playing unit has gotten more confident, they have invested a lot and they put in a lot in the pre season,”

“We are playing a very good brand of rugby, it’s like the Impala of old and I think after being down for so long, we are now on a high,”

Young players

Gangla then attributed the team’s rise to a good set up from down up. As he sums it, money was well spent as competitive set of players have come through the system.

“Some of the players in our junior team last year are now playing in the Kenya Cup this season and so the investment in the Academy has paid off for us. It has developed good players,”

“We have a very young team in Kenya Cup. If you take away a few players like Nato (Simiyu) and maybe Duncan (Ekasi) most of the other players are very young maybe 21, 22.” he said

As Impala guns for the Kenya Cup this season, the first since 2009 but the 11th since the advent of the Kenya Cup, two of its other teams have trophies to defend; the Impala Boks currently hold the Eric Shirley Shield and Impala Bucks are the Nairobi Nationwide Champions.

“We are working very hard to retain those titles,” said Gangla in his parting shot

While the Boks are within the playoff bracket in the ESS, the Bucks are in the semis where they face with USIU once again.  The last four will be played over two weekends apart starting Saturday 19 March.

CREDIT: RAGAHOUSE