7s team in crisis – Ayimba; Kenya may miss automatic slot in World Series over poor results

Benjamin Ayimba

Former Kenya sevens team coach Benjamin Ayimba has warned the country risks relegation from the IRB series unless drastic action is taken to turn around the performance of the national sevens team.

Ayimba also said time is running out and Kenya has until the fifth leg of the IRB series in Wellington, New Zealand to salvage their top status.

“The team is currently ranked 14th in the standings which is very dangerous considering that every season, the bottom three teams usually struggle a lot to retain their core status.

“In Kenya’s case they don’t have much time and have until the New Zealand leg to improve. Usually by the fifth leg, teams start qualifying for next season,” he said.

The series has 15 core teams who take part in nine tournaments between October and May.

Speaking on the recent resignation of coach Paul Treu, Ayimba said he was not surprised by the move and pointed out that given the condition of the team, only local coaches can succeed.

“I am not surprised at all. If anything he even took longer before stepping down. When you look at the huge discrepancy between what the coach was paid and the highest paid player then you can easily see that he could not succeed.

“Treu was earning more than 10 times what his players were earning but even with such a lucrative salary and poor conditions, success was far away. In my opinion only local coaches understand how to deal with the players,” he said.

Asked whether he would come back if offered the position, Ayimba said: “Under the right conditions I would come back. But at the moment I cannot work with the current board as there is a lot of infighting with different directors pulling in opposition directions.”

Ayimba also believe that the current players have not been treated well by the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) and this has affected their performance.

“The Union has not taken care of the players well. Instead of listening to them they have been bullied. The first step to change the situation would be to bring back the old players and offer them terms and conditions that are favourable.

“Instead of fighting them, the Union should see how to meet them halfway. Thw former coach thought some of the players were spoilt and perhaps he was right but then again you cannot throw out all your best players.

“For the sake of our survival, a way must be found to work with them now.”

Treu succeeded Mike Friday after the former England Sevens coach also opted to resign after one year, having guided Kenya Sevens to the World Rugby Sevens World Cup 2013 semi-final in Moscow.