Khayange powers way back to Sevens team

Nairobi: Kenya Sevens team head coach Felix Ochieng  made one change to his squad for the sixth and seventh legs of the HSBC Sevens World Series in Hong Kong (27-29 March) and Japan (4-5 April).

Ochieng, who guided the team to 12th place in the series standings after garnering 18 points from the Wellington and Las Vegas rounds, has been boosted by the return of former captain Humphrey Khayange, who has replaced Homeboyz centre Oscar Ayodi.

This will be the first assignment for Khayange this season since he picked up an ankle at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

He joins his younger brother, Collins Injera, who was excused from the Vegas trip due to family commitments. Biko Adema is unavailable as he is yet to regain the required fitness levels following injury.

Ochieng believes Khayange’s return is key to the squad’s excellence.

“I have trust in all the players, but Khayange is an asset to the team and I am pleased with his return. His leadership qualities are just exceptional. We have great talent, especially among the young players, but at the moment, I believe this is the best team,” Ochieng said during the squad-naming ceremony at the RFUEA grounds yesterday.

Shujaa are in a tricky Pool D alongside Mike Friday’s USA, England and Wales, but the tactician says they are fully aware of the hurdles ahead of them.

“Going by the previous leg, it is a very thin line in such a competitive tournament. But it’s a matter of being consistent, remaining focused, minimising errors and getting the results,” said Ochieng.

“We are fully aware of our fans' and sponsors’ expectations. We must be consistent, improve on the log and avoid flirting with relegation. USA is a different team, but we are working hard to ensure the boys are mentally and tactically ready to deliver. When the players take to the pitch in Hong Kong, you’ll see the passion and commitment.”

His sentiments were echoed by captain Andrew Amonde and Bush Mwale, who are relishing the prospects of meeting Mike Friday, their former coach.

“We will play USA as a team and not Friday, but it will be an exciting match. They have a good team at the moment and we expect them to give us stiff competition. But our aim is to perform better,” said Amonde.

“I am proud to be part of the travelling team. Our aim is to reach either the quarters or semis,” said Mwale.

Present at the squad-naming event were newly appointed Kenya Rugby Union Chairman Richard Omwela and Kenya Airways Sponsorship and Events Manager, Winnie Onyach.

“We got mixed results in the last two legs, but the management is doing everything possible to ensure the team performs well in Hong Kong and Tokyo,” said Omwela. The team departed  for Hong Kong on Sunday.