Rugby: Youngsters eye spots in Shujaa

Fiji’s Jerry Tuwai (L) tackles Kenya’s Johnstone Olindi, as he scores a try during World Rugby Sevens Series action, in Vancouver, BC, on March 9, 2019. (Photo by Don MacKinnon / AFP)

The stakes will be high when clubs converge at the Mombasa Sports Club this weekend for the Driftwood tournament, the last leg of the National Sevens Circuit.

KCB, Mwamba and Nakuru RFC might be the only sides that have a realistic chance of clinching the overall title but all is not lost for players from other teams as they will have a final opportunity to prove why they deserve a slot in the national Sevens team, Shujaa that will do duty in the 2019-20 season.

While the players who featured for Shujaa in previous seasons have a head start, the onus is on the uncapped individuals to endear themselves to the selectors ahead of next month’s Safari Sevens as well as the Africa Sevens slated for November in Johannesburg, South Africa.The continental event is also a qualifying event for 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

With KCB pair of Johnstone Olindi and Vincent Onyala having had an impressive debut campaign last season, it is expected that more youngsters, who have been performed well in the National Sevens Circuit, will also join the Kenya Sevens set up.

Fresh from winning Christie Sevens, KCB have been seeded top in pool A at the Driftwood leg where they will face Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology(MMUST), Kenya Harlequin and Administration Police who have been invited.