Masinde Muliro Universuty Of Science and Technology (MMUST) Rugby team head coach John Asila has praised his young side for showing resilience and hunger after claiming their first Kenya Cup win of the season, a narrow 20–15 victory over Impala in a round five clash played at the MMUST Grounds in Kakamega on Saturday.
The Kakamega-based outfit, back in the top flight after earning promotion last season, have endured a challenging start to life in the Kenya Cup following the departure of a majority of the players who helped them secure promotion.
Speaking after the match, Asila admitted the win was driven by sheer desire from a youthful squad still adjusting to the demands of Kenya Cup rugby.
“The boys wanted it more. It’s a very young side, most of the boys have never played Kenya Cup before. We’ve lost many players since last year, but the boys really stood out,” said Asila.
“That’s the spirit of MMUST rugby. We want to keep on improving and ticking the right targets.”
MMUST lost close to 90 per cent of the players who played a key role in their return to the Kenya Cup, forcing the technical bench into a rebuilding phase anchored on inexperienced but talented players.
On the impact of rebuilding and the challenge of starting afresh, Asila described the process as demanding but rewarding.
“It’s a hard task, but again it’s nice seeing the young players grow, become mature and go all the way to play for bigger clubs or even the national team,” he said.
“It’s a mixed feeling because with some we’ve bonded and become family, but at the same time you also want to see them grow.”
The victory over Impala marked MMUST’s first win of the campaign but also offered a timely confidence boost as they continue to adapt to the intensity of top-tier rugby.The students travel to Nairobi this weekend to face Nondies RFC in round six.
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