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Nondies made it to the Kenya Cup semi-final for the first in over a decade and their coach has revealed how they managed to prevail against fancied Kenya Harlequin.
Nondies head coach Callum Oliver has expressed relief at being able to beat Kenya Harlequin under the most dramatic circumstances on Saturday to seal a Kenya Cup semi-finals place against Kabras Sugar next weekend.
Nondies returned to the semi-finals at the first time of asking following their promotion back to the topflight of Kenyan 15s rugby, and will now be playing Kabras Sugar in the semi-finals in Kakamega next weekend.
All looked lost for Nondies who were trailing 20-13 after 60 minutes, as they found it difficult to break down a side reduced to 14 men, but three tries, including one in the dying minutes, enabled them to make history in dramatic circumstances.
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19:04 - 16.03.2024
RUGBY Kenya Cup: Nondies shock Quins to make maiden semi-final in a decade as Oilers fry Blak Blad
Nondies shock Quins for the second weekend in a row to qualify for their first semi-final in over 10 years as Menengai Oilers nonchalantly sail into semis with Black Blad win.
Speaking after the match, Oliver admitted he thought the game was done when the side were trailing by a point in the dying seconds, and remains over the moon after their achievement.
“Just relief, really,” Oliver said.
“I thought the game was gone in the last five minutes. I thought it was over. The players showed a lot of heart and fight and kept going to the final whistle, and that is what it is about at the end of the day.
“Just relief and very thankful to these group of players for their efforts.”
Oliver has heaped praise on his side’s sheer determination and will which won them the game despite not playing their best brand of rugby.
“It is just heart. We did not play our best game. We did not play our best rugby this season. We did not put the things we trained on together (during the match) but it is heart," he added.
“There was thrill and there was heart, and that is what ultimately won us the game.”
The side were targeting a playoff-place at the beginning of the season, so for them to return to the semis is already an overachievement.
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13:33 - 16.03.2024
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“We are celebrating, having a few beers and enjoying ourselves and our focus can turn to them [Kabras Sugar] on Monday or Tuesday," said Oliver.
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