It's try time for Amonde: Head coach Simiyu names team for Club Games in Australia

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

Kenya Commercial Bank flanker Andrew Amonde is relishing the prospects of playing at his third Commonwealth Games after he was named in the national rugby Sevens team’s yesterday.

The Club Games will begin on Wednesday next week in Gold Coast, Australia.

Amonde, who was part of the Shujaa team that exited at the quarterfinal stage of the same championships in India (2010) and Scotland (2014) respectively, is one of the most experienced players named by coach Innocent Simiyu in his 13-man squad.

Simiyu made only two changes to the side that reached the Vancouver Sevens final, with debutant Ian Minjire and Augustine Lugonzo replacing the duo of Samuel Ng’ethe and Erick Ombasa.

Kenya lost 27-5 to Australia in the last eight tie of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi before falling 19-7 to New Zealand at the same stage in Scotland four years later.

Amonde made a return to the team in January after missing the opening two legs of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in Dubai and Cape Town with a hernia injury.

The team faces tournament congestion that begins with next weekend’s (April 5-6) Hong Kong Sevens, followed by the Gold Coast showdown before they head for the Singapore Sevens (April 28-29).

Amonde is optimistic of a podium finish in Australia. They are pooled with New Zealand, Canada and Zambia.

“It is a great feeling to be in the Commonwealth Games team again. That experience will account a lot,” Amonde told The Standard Sports.

“We have had good preparation and everybody is in good shape. We just need to remain focused and play our game.”

Meanwhile, Kenya Lionesses coach Kevin Wambua also named his squad for next week’s women’s Sevens qualifiers in Hong Kong and the Commonwealth Games.