Kenya kicks off Hong Kong campaign

By BS Mulavi in Hong Kong

The Kenya National Rugby Sevens team is beaming and ready to go as they kick off their Hong Kong campaign today in a euphoric atmosphere for the fifth leg of the International Rugby Board sevens circuit.

The team was joined Thursday by assistant coach Felix Ochieng’ and stalwart Sidney Ashioya to form arguably the strongest side they have fielded this season. However, Ochieng’ played down talks that this was the strongest side to date.

"We always put up a strong side depending on how the boys have been training, and I always believe the team that plays in any tournament is up to the task," he said. "So as we speak we are fielding the best team that has been training and we are hopeful we are going to take the most points we can," he added.

Speaking exclusively to Feverpitch Ochieng’ revealed they are were wary of Fiji, but they have the belief that they can beat them, "the Fiji side looks very strong on paper and we will have to play the best we can."

The two teams meet for the first time this season on Saturday in an explosive Pool D encounter, with both teams eyeing to finish top of the group. Kenya will still have to beat Russia today and Malaysia tomorrow if they wish to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Ashioya echoed his coach’s comments by saying they are in Hong Kong to gain maximum points, "we are here to play and win and that is exactly what we are going to do," said the Kenya Harlequin winger.

"We are fully focused on what we want to do and all that is left is the execution," he.

Kenya has set a bench mark of not bowing out of the tournament before reaching the quarter-finals and Head Coach Benjamin Ayimba and his team will be hoping the rich form they have displayed in past season in Hong Kong will be the same this year.

The team has just recently shown improvement in the series after a torrid start and many are waiting with bated breath to see if Ayimba can salvage the team in this second half of the series.

Even though Ayimba will be missing the services of Brian Nyikuli and Innocent Simiyu, he still has at his disposal the abilities of Biko Adema, Oscar Ouma and Collins Injera who have shown great potential in the past legs to compliment the hard work and talent exuded by Captain Humphrey Kayange.

Kenya only play Russia today at 2:24pm Kenyan time.