The Rugby Championship for the 2019/2020 season kicked off on Saturday, 26th October 2019 with MMUST RFC travelling to Egerton University, Njoro for the opening match. Captained by Samwel Mbeche, MMUST who lost to Kisumu at the Quarter finals last season maintained a strong side with two new signings Jadah Abdon (Kiumu RFC) and youngster Nelson Babu who was a regular at St. Peters Mumias High School both making their debut in the starting lineup. The match saw a glaring absence of Timothy Mmasi who was out on recovery after the International duty at the Tusker Safari Sevens in Nairobi.
It was an electric first half with both teams making spirited attempts to reach the opposing try box. Two penalty kicks from Egerton’s fly half Edwin Kimtai and a try from centre Moses Ngura was not enough to secure the home team against a charging MMUST forward line lead by the forwards Captain Collins Ngoko. John Bahati opened the score line with penalty kick before the new signing Nelson Babu scored a try for MMUST. John Bahati made a successful conversion to make it 08-10 in favour of the visiting MMUST at half time break.
The second half of the University derby at the Egerton Grounds experienced a cold, rainy afternoon with hosts determined to reward the surging crowds of the home ground supporters. The pressured MMUST bore an offense leading to penalty which was successfully taken by Egerton wasps. MMUST’s forward Felix Wamocho would made a break gaining several yards towards a defensive Wasps before an infringement from the wasps leading to a penalty awarded to MMUST. John Bahati once again made a successful penalty attempt.
Isaiah Mulongo, who came in for Elvis Amunya at the 2nd half continued to augment the woes with his high kicks towards a defending Egerton side. In the dying minutes of the game, Tyson Juma broke the deadlock intercepting a high kick a midst the Egerton defence with the last try of the day making it 11-18 in favour of MMUST.
The next weekend match will see MMUST play host to United States International University (Africa) in the second match of the season to be played at MMUST Grounds.
