The race for promotion in the KRU Championship has taken shape after the conclusion of Week 11, with the top teams securing direct semifinal spots while the battle for playoffs and survival reaches its climax.
Mwamba RFC currently sit at the summit of the standings with 45 points after winning nine of their eleven matches. Their consistent performances throughout the season have secured them a direct place in the semifinals.
Close behind them are JKUAT Cougars who occupy second place with 39 points. The Cougars have also secured a home semifinal berth, having registered eight wins, one draw and just a single loss so far and have a game in hand.
South Coast Pirates are currently third with 38 points, placing them firmly in the playoff zone. Catholic Monks Rugby Club follow closely in fourth place with 37 points, while NYS Spades sit fifth on 29 points.
Homeboyz RFC occupy sixth place with 27 points, completing the group of teams that have qualified for the playoff stage where they will battle for a chance to reach the semifinals.
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Just outside the playoff places are Mombasa RFC who are seventh with 24 points, narrowly ahead of Kisii RFC in eighth with 23 points.
Further down the standings, Mean Machine RFC and Zetech Oaks are tied on 19 points in ninth and tenth place respectively.
At the bottom end of the table, USIU Martials and Western Bulls RFC occupy the relegation places, confirming their drop from the second tier.
USIU Martials finished 11th with 18 points, marking a difficult end to a long stay in the Championship. The side was among the earliest teams to compete in the league and had spent nine seasons in the second tier before suffering relegation. Their demotion follows that of University of Eldoret Trojans who were relegated from the top tier last season.
Meanwhile, former Kenya Cup side Western Bulls have also been relegated after finishing bottom with 5 points. The Kakamega-based club had spent eight seasons in the KRU Championship with Kenya Cup promotion in between but will now drop to the lower division following a challenging campaign.
With the regular season nearing its conclusion, attention now shifts to the promotion playoffs, where the top teams will battle for a chance to secure a coveted place in the Kenya Cup next season.
KRU Championship standings
KRU Championship standings after 11 rounds. PHOTO/Kenya Cup
