The 2021 Kenya Cup season will be played in a round robin format following the withdrawal of four teams from the competition.
Kenya Rugby announced that the tournament scheduled to kick off in 10 days on February 27, 2021 will run for 14 match days on a home and away basis. The winner will be the team that accumulates the most points at the end of the season.
Nondescripts, Impala, Homeboyz and Mwamba have withdrawn from this year’s edition citing various reasons shared with the cup organisers. That leaves only 8 teams namely KCB, Sabras Sugar, Nakuru, Menengai Oilers, Blak Blad, Kenya Harlequin, Strathmore Leos and MMUST.
Nondescripts chairperson Auka Gecheo, speaking to Daily Nation in Kenya, has said that the preparation period was not sufficient for them to get ready.
The preparation period was short hence we are not ready. We needed at least 10 weeks of preseason training after they stayed away for 10 months.
Auka Gecheo, Nondescripts chairperson. [Adapted from Ragahouse]
Similarly for fellow Ngong Road side Impala, chairperson Bon Asiyo said that rugby is a high contact sport that needs serious preseason training.
Kenya Rugby has also stated that the 2021 Kenya Cup season will neither have relegation nor promotion.