Sevens Team on a flying mode

By Bs MulaviI

NAIROBI, KENYA: The Kenya National Sevens team is in high spirits after taking part in some friendly matches against Sevens World Cup champions Wales, former Safaricom Sevens Champions British Army and Irish Exiles.

Speaking exclusively to Feverpitch team manager Steve Sewe claimed the boys got a good workout from the sessions. “The games of Wednesday were quite tough and that was good for the team as they prepare for the World Cup,” he said. “It was full contact in all games and it was real professional with nothing held back,” he explained. “The playing turf was quite good as well and I feel the boys got a good work out.”

Sewe went on to explain that yesterday the team had a chance to relax with no heavy training involved for players to have a rest from the grueling games.

According to team manager, the squad is looking forward to the championships.

The team is in London up to next Tuesday, after which they will head to Moscow for the most celebrated tournament in the shorter version of the game.

The squad received a major boost yesterday morning as Willy Ambaka was nominated by the International Rugby Board for the Sevens player of the year.

Phenomenal season

Ambaka has had a phenomenal season and he will be battling out for top spot alongside seven other nominees. In the men’s category the eight nominees are: Afa Aiono (Samoa), Ambaka (Kenya), Cornal Hendricks and Frankie Horne (South Africa), Gillies Kaka and Tim Mikkelson (New Zealand), Dan Norton (England) and Joji Raqamate (Fiji).

In the women’s category the five nominees are: Kelly Brazier (New Zealand), Jennifer Kish (Canada), Kayla McAlister (New Zealand), Emily Scarratt (England) and Kelly van Harskamp (Netherlands).

Kenyans will get a chance to support Ambaka as members of the public are invited to vote at facebook.com/irbsevens and facebook.com/irbwomens, on who they think should win the two awards.

At the end of the pool rounds of Rugby World Cup Sevens the lists will be further shortened, taking into account the public poll, the initial nomination voting process and World Cup form, with the two winners announced in Moscow at the conclusion of Rugby World Cup Sevens on June 30.

IRB Chairman, Bernard Lapasset, said: “Rugby is a sport of character and Sevens showcases the character-building values of integrity, passion, discipline in the form of strong teamwork and the remarkable achievements of our exceptionally gifted men and women athletes.

These 13 nominees epitomise the skill, speed, power and excitement that has made our Olympic sport of Sevens a hit around the world and their recognition is a credit to their teams and their nations.”