Kenya Cup

Last updated
Kenya Cup
Kenya Cup logo.png
Competition logo
Sport Rugby union
Instituted1970
Number of teams11
CountryFlag of Kenya.svg  Kenya
Holders Kabras Sugar RC (2022)
Most titles Nondescripts RFC (17 titles)
Website Kenya Cup Official Website
Related competition Nationwide League
Eric Shirley Shield
A maul during a match between KCB RFC and Quins Kenyaclubrugbykcb.jpg
A maul during a match between KCB RFC and Quins

The Kenya Cup is the top tier club rugby union competition in Kenya organized by the Kenya Rugby Union. For the 2019-2020 season, twelve teams are divided into two pools of six, Each team plays home and away against each team in its pool and once against each team in the other pool. The top six teams in the single-table format qualify for the playoff finals: the top two teams secure a home semi-final. The other four teams are paired into two knock-out games: the winners of the two games each play one of the two top-ranked teams (that had secured an automatic semi-final berth). The winners of the two semi-final fixtures play in the final to determine the overall winner(the top-ranked team before the playoffs hosts the final).

Contents

Promotion and relegation exists between the Kenya Cup, Championship and Nationwide leagues. The two lowest placed teams in the Kenya Cup are relegated to the Championship, and the top two teams in the Championship are promoted to the Kenya Cup. Games are played on Saturday afternoons usually preceded by corresponding fixtures in the Eric Shirley Shield.

The Kenya Cup was founded in 1970 by the newly formed Kenya Rugby Football Union with the first tournament won by Impala RFC. [1]

KCB RFC retained the Kenya Cup for a third successive time after a 23-15 victory over Kabras Sugar in the final contested on 18 May 2019 at the Kakamega Showgrounds. [2]

2021 Kenya Cup teams

TeamLocationStadiumCapacity
Kenya Harlequin F.C. Nairobi RFUEA Ground 6,000
Menengai Oilers Nakuru City Nakuru Showgrounds 6,000
Blak Blad RFC Nairobi City Kenyatta University Grounds 5,000
Kabras Sugar RFC Kakamega City Bull Ring Kakamega 5,000
Nondescripts RFC Nairobi Ngong Race Course 5,000
Impala Saracens Nairobi City Impala Ground 2,000
KCB RFC Nairobi The Den 2,000
Mwamba RFC Nairobi Nairobi Railways Club 2,000
Top Fry Nakuru RFC Nakuru Nakuru Athletic Club 2,000
MMUST RFC Kakamega City MMUST Grounds 1,000
Strathmore Leos Nairobi Strathmore University Grounds 1,000

2021 Kenya Cup Final Standings

These are the final standings of the Kenya Cup. [3]

2021 Kenya Cup Table
ClubPlayedWonDrawnLostPoints forPoints againstPoints diffBonus PointsPoints
1Kabras Sugar RU10100040181320949
2 KCB CH10901313149164844
3Menengari Oliers SF1061321518428430
4 Strathmore Leos SF1042422718641727
5 Kenya Harlequin 10424219232-13525
6 MMUST 10415151204-53220
7 Nondescripts 10415132180-48-117
8 Impala Saracens 10325144210-66117
9 Mwamba 10136108225-117413
10 Top Fry Nakuru 10208148266-118210
11 Blak Blad 10127111252-14119
Green background (rows 1 to 4) are play-off places and earns a berth in the Semi-Finals of the competition.
Red background (row 11) Relegation to Kenya Nationwide League.


(CH) Champions. (RU) Runners-up. (SF) Losing semi-finalists.
Final Standings — source:

Tiebreakers for teams tied on points: 1) Number of matches won; 2) Difference between points for and against; 3) Total number of points for; 4) Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams; 5) Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

Champions

The previous champions of the Kenya Cup are: [4]

a. ^ This webpage states that Harlequins had also had "Previous Kenya Cup victories: 1955, 1957, 1964, 1988". This is probably incorrect as these are years that Harlequins won the Enterprise Cup.The Kenya Cup was inaugurated in 1970. Before 1970 the competition which was held was called the Nairobi District Championship. However the 1995 victory seems likely as it is included in a list that also shows the Enterprise Cup win that year.

Titles by team

TeamTitlesYears won
Nondescripts RFC 171975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998
Impala RFC 101970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2009
KCB RFC 82005, 2006, 2007, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021
Kenya Harlequin 81995, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012
Kabras Sugar 52016, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Mean Machine RFC 31977, 1989, 1990
Nakuru RFC 22013, 2014
Mwamba RFC 11983
Barclays Bank RFC 11987

References

  1. ↑ "Kenya Rugby Historical Highlights" (PDF). Kenya RFU. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  2. ↑ "The Kenya Cup". www.kenyacup.co.ke. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  3. ↑ Team, The Kenya Cup. "Resilient KCB keep the Kenya Cup title". www.kenyacup.co.ke. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  4. ↑ "Kenya Cup Roll of Honour" . Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  5. ↑ "Kenya Harlequins: An Introduction". Come All Within. Rugby Network. 1 February 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  6. ↑ "Kabras Edge Oilers in Thriller to Seal Fourth Straight Kenya Cup Title". Kenya Cup. April 12, 2025. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
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