Ayimba running out rounds to make big impression

Despite enjoying a solid season thus far, national sevens team head coach, Benjamin Ayimba is running out of legs of the HSBC World Series to make a resounding statement ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics in the summer.

Ayimba who led Kenya to the semi-finals of the 2009 Rugby Sevens World Cup returned to rescue the fortunes of a team that took a battering last season and has managed to steady Shujaa’s ship by making five Main Cup quarters in the previous seven rounds.

The series returns to Singapore for the first time in 10 years this weekend on the back of earning seven points last Sunday at the Hong Kong 7s where Shujaa lost 33-0 to England in the Plate semi-finals.

In his defence for his approach to rotate players as he figures out his final squad for Brazil, Ayimba asked the country’s expectant fans to be patient with the players.

“Over the past four seasons we have been conceding a lot. The boys were more defensively disciplined in Hong Kong so if we can keep letting in less and less points against us we will definitely win more games,” he added after Hong Kong.

In previous rounds of the series the sevens team has been starting off well but run out of steam in the second day of competition save for Vancouver and Dubai where they did not manage to get out of their group.

Kenya that has managed to remain stuck in the eighth position in the standings on 63 points have been placed in Pool C alongside Russia, Scotland and South Africa in HSBC Singapore Sevens, round eight of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

Kenya’s opener match will be against Russia on Saturday at crack of dawn 5:22am local time (+3GMT) then play against Scotland at 8:43 am and round off with their toughest test against continental rivals South Africa who are second on the log on 154 at 12:04pm.

Series leaders and Hong Kong champions Fiji are in Pool A together with England, Samoa and Portugal with Pool B with New Zealand, USA, France and Canada in Pool B. Australia, Wales, Japan and Argentina round Pool D.

Fiji were the last champions in Singapore and the current series leaders will be aiming to add to their five-point lead at the top of the standings in their defence of the series title.

“I always remember it (the 2006 final) because someone dislocated his arm in the final,” captain Osea Kolinisau told World Rugby. “I always remember that day.

The Paris (May 13 to 15) and London (May 21 and 22) will close the expanded 10-round 2015/16 series before focus shifts to Rio where Rugby 7s will make its debut.

LOCAL TIMES

Kenya v Russia – 5.22am

Kenya v Scotland – 8.43am

Kenya v South Africa – 12.04pm