Sevens set to finish higher: Rugby team to contend fiercely in final leg of IRB series in London this weekend

By BS MULAVI

Fiji’s Waisea Nacuquin (right) goes for a try  as Billy Odhiambo gives a chase at the Glasgow Sevens  match at the Scotstoun Stadium in Scotland, last weekend. [PHOTO: AFP]

Kenya Sevens Rugby Coach Paul Treu is building from the positives of last weekend’s performance in Scotland as he prepares for the final leg of the International Rugby Board Sevens circuit in London.

The team will take to the pitch from tomorrow where they are scheduled to play Samoa, USA and Canada for the group stages of the tournament.

Speaking to FeverPitch from London, Treu reminisced on their performance from last weekend, saying they were a bit lucky but the boys still played well.

“There were improvements but we were also lucky in the sense that Argentina had to beat Wales. Positive is we should have won all our pool games including Fiji. At the start of the season, these teams have beaten us by big margins now it’s becoming closer,“ he said.

Treu has expressed optimism at the direction the team is heading and went on to hint that it will get better for the side.

As they head forward, the coach added they have areas that they are working on and hope they can improve in the London leg.

Better in contact

“For this weekend we need to carry ball better in contact as we tend to get isolated,” he explained.

All the three other teams in the group  are very physical in their approach and Treu is well aware that the contact area will be of pivotal importance on the given date.

Whilst they will work on retention of the ball, the tactician has highlighted other areas they will need to look into such as the ball-handling of the team and the number of errors the side makes.

“I am happy with the scrums and line-outs which I feel improved, but I think on top of other things we can still work on kick-offs received,” he added.

Treu went on to laud the role played by former captain Humphrey Kayange, who he claimed he was ‘brilliant’ but was far from fully fit.

Kayange has been labelled as a natural leader by the former coaches Benjamin Ayimba and Mike Friday and Treu found him to be quite helpful given that the team’s captain Andrew Amonde is out injured.

Treu will keep faith with the same squad that took part in the Scotland leg and has expressed his confidence that the team will perform well if not better than they did last weekend in Glasgow.

              —brian.sagala@gmail.