KAYANGE BACK IN TEAM KENYA: Humphrey returns, Aluoch handed debut as Ayimba names team

Kenya Sevens captain Andrew Amonde and experienced Humphrey Kayange have returned to the national rugby Sevens team.

Head coach Benjamin Ayimba named his charges yesterday ahead of the third and fourth rounds of the 2015/16 HSBC Sevens World Series in Wellington (New Zealand) and Sydney (Australia) on January 30-31 and February 6-7 respectively.

Nakuru’s Donald Aluoch is the surprise inclusion in the star-studded 12-man team that will depart for New Zealand on Sunday. Amonde, Kayange and Aluoch have replaced the trio of Kenya Harlequin winger Frank Wanyama, Jeffery Oluoch (Homeboyz) and Robert Aringo (Impala), that made an impressive debut in the first two legs in Dubai and Cape Town.

In an interview yesterday, Ayimba defended Oluoch’s inclusion and expressed his delight with the return of Amonde and Kayange, who missed the first two legs due to personal reasons and fitness issues respectively.

“From the beginning of the season, the strategy was to rotate the squad and give everyone a chance, so that when we head to the Olympic, we will have a very well-oiled team,” said Ayimba.

.

Keep Reading

•  vivo ushers in a new era of portrait photography with the slim and premium-designed V30
•  Kuppet, TSC agree on promotion of 30,000 teachers
•  vivo V30 5G launching in Kenya: Step into the future with style
•  Inside Ruto's Sh16 trillion last-ditch plan to save Vision 2030Premium
•  We have hit some good Vision 2030 milestones but missed key targetsPremium

“Aluoch has grown since joining the team 16 weeks ago and for sure, he deserves a chance. He has been impressive in training and we want try him out on the big stage and see what he can bring on board. He is a very peculiar player and is a sought of a traditional player maker that Kenya has produced in the previous years. With Collins (Injera) there, he is going to compliment his youth.

“Amonde and Kayange are bringing leadership, maturity, rugby brains to the team and everything that pertains to world stage performance. We hope their inclusion will help younger lads learn more,” he added.

Although Shujaa have been pooled in a tricky Group D alongside Australia, Canada and Portugal, Ayimba is optimistic the team will pick from where they left off while in Cape Town.

Kenya moved up to the ninth place in overall World Rugby Series standings with 15 points following the remarkable performance in South Africa where they lost 26-24 to Argentina in the Main Cup quarter finals.

“We want to carry on with the same momentum. No pressure really about where and how we want to get there, but with the spirit in the team, I am optimistic of a great show in Wellington. We saw a bit of it in Cape Town, but we need to maintain consistency throughout the season,” said Ayimba.

The tactician further lauded Kenya Airways for agreeing to renew their shirt sponsorship with the national team.

“Definitely that’s a great motivation, there is no doubt about that. KQ's sponsorship extension gives us confidence and assurance that things will be okay and better than they were before. I have always told the players to bring their A-game on the field and the rest will follow,” said Ayimba.