WEDNESDAY, February 19, 2014
Impala overwhelm Western Bulls with Brendan Venter watching
Resolution Impala Saracens continued their winning ways last weekend with a 33-16 defeat of Western Bulls. They overcame a 08-10 half time deficit to eventually overwhelm a motivated Western Bulls in a fiercely contested match. Bulls carried in the confidence of having beaten Impala Saracens 21-14 at Ngong Road, in last season’s contest.
The Gazelles had a dream start when their multiple phases resulted in a Bulls penalty infringement. Fullback George Okowa duly converted it into a 3-0 lead. It was the Ngong Road side’s first foray into the Bulls red zone. The Saracens affiliate would then be back with a scrum pushover try grounded by captain and no. 8, Duncan Ekasi. Okowa failed to convert an easy shot.
Western Bulls, sponsored by Mumias Sugar, would then respond with quickfire points – First, their go-forward pressure yielded an Impala Saracens offside penalty which fullback Solomon Obiero easily converted, then a rampaging offload game resulted in inside centre Tyrese Kuya’s centre post try. Obiero’s conversion gave Bulls a 10-08 half time lead.
In addition to coach Erick Situma, Brendan Venter, a 1995 Rugby World Cup winner and Saracens (UK) technical director, an Impala Saracens guest, went into the team huddle. His message, fortifying Situma’s pep talk was simply: His message, fortifying Situma’s pep talk was simple: “Stay positive boys. (Fly half) Nato (Simiyu)’s having an excellent game. Give him the ball and support him. He’ll win this for us!”
At the restart, Bulls were first on the board with an Obiero penalty conversion but Impala Saracens kept in touch with a reply Okowa penalty conversion. 11-13. Impala would then confirm their growing forwards dominance with another Ekasi try for Okowa to convert into an 18-13 scoreline. Obiero’s penalty conversion signaled the Bulls intent to stay in the game at 18-16.
A combination of lineout drives and sustained picks-and-drives, under reserve and veteran scrum half Moses Kola direction, would enable loosehead prop Ezekiel Chege ground from the sustained pressure. 23-16. Slick ball handling and long range pace would see Robert Aringo play in elder brother Anthony Oyugi for a traditional Impala try to take the score to 28-16.
Reserve blindside winger Leon Adongo would then signal return to competitive rugby with a massive inside run from no. 8 Ekasi’s direct pass from a scrum. The Okowa try, from the resulting quickball and long pass from man-of-the-match Simiyu, was a foregone conclusion. Only that, for the third time successively, Okowa’s conversion boots failed him. Final score 33-16.
An excited Venter would say, after referee Raymond Oruo blew the final whistle: “I’m amazed at the talent I have seen today from both Impala Saracens and Western Bulls. I wanted Impala Saracens to win, of course, but the Bulls gave me some anxious moments”
Impala now face Mombasa SC in the final Kenya Cup match, away.