Top KCB key players to miss tourney

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

Kenya Commercial Bank will miss some of their top players as they seek to retain the Prinsloo Sevens Championships title at Nakuru Athletic Club this weekend.

KCB are in Pool D alongside hosts Nakuru RFC, Nondescripts and Nzoia Sugar.

The bankers have ten players with the national sevens team - ‘Shujaa’ and the national 15’s (Simbas) -who will miss out as they are engaged in several international assignments. 

Former captain Andrew Amonde, Arthur Owira (who is injured) and Michael Wanjala are in the national sevens squad.

They were instrumental when Shujaa hit historic 104 points mark to finish eighth behind winners South Africa, having reached two finals in Vancouver Sevens in Canada and Hong Kong Sevens in the 2017/2018 HSBC World Sevens Series.

Captain David Chenge, Martin Omudin, Darwin Mukidza, Jacob Ojee, Peter Kilonzo and Oliver Mang’eni line for Simbas, who have had a number of outings for the African Gold Cup and Elgon Cup Championships.

Shujaa will take part in the World Cup Rugby Championships at AT&T Park Stadium in San Francisco in the United States of America tomorrow.

KCB Sevens head coach Mark Mshilla is determined to utilize the remaining players to retain the Prinsloo Sevens title.

“That we will miss key players does not matter. I will utilize the remaining players to accomplish my ambitions. It will also offer the other players a chance to showcase their talents,” Mshilla told Standard Sports.

“It will give them (upcoming players) a chance for exposure and will help them compete equally with experienced players in future assignments,” he added.

Mshilla did not rule out the use of experienced players in subsequent tournaments of the national seven circuit.