REDEMPTION TIME FOR 7s team

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

After a mixed performance in the Dubai and Cape Town Sevens, the National Sevens team face a Herculean task to redeem their lost glory in the third leg of the 2016/2017 HSBC International Rugby Board (IRB) Wellington Sevens this morning in New Zealand.

In the Dubai Sevens, Kenya only played in the group stages while in Cape Town, they reached the Main Cup quarters having emerged runners up in Pool B with two wins against France (33-14) and Japan (25-4) before falling to Fiji 22-28.

In the Cape Town quarters, Kenya lost to New Zealand 28-7 and is placed in tenth position in the current World Sevens Circuit with 17 points after the first two legs. The series leader South Africa has  41 points.

The mixed start has fans wondering whether coach Innocent Simiyu can fit into the shoes of his predecessor Benjamin Ayimba who led the team to their first ever World Sevens title in Singapore Sevens last year.

Simiyu has recalled Collins Injera of Mwamba RFC to boost Shujaa's chances of reaching respectable stages. He missed the first legs of the series.

Simiyu also recalled Oscar Ouma (Top Fry Nakuru RFC), Eden Agero (Kenya Harlequins), Sammy Oliech (Resulution Impala) and Bush Mwale (Homeboyz).

Those retained by Simiyu are Andrew Amonde (Kenya Commercial Bank), William Ambaka (Harlequins), Kabras duo of Brian Tanga and Dan Sikuta and Homeboyz duo of Leonard Mugaisi and Augustine Lugonzo and Nakuru RFC’s Nelson Oyoo.

Kenya are grouped with Papua New Guinea, Argentina and England and start their cup campaign against Argentina (at 4.32 am Kenyan time). They play Papua New Guinea at 7.56am and will face England at 2.10pm.

Sevens squad: Andrew Amonde (Captain), Willy Ambaka, Oscar Ouma, Dan Sikuta, Bush Mwale, Brian Tanga, Leonard Mugaisi, Eden Agero, Augustine Lugonzo, Sammy Oliech, Billy Odhiambo, Collins Injera, Nelson Oyoo
Management: Innocent Simiyu (Head Coach), Ian Gibbons (S&C), Lameck Bogonko (Physio), Erick Ogweno (Team Manager), William Webster (Kicking Consultant).