Flashback2017: Inconsistent Shujaa fail to shine

The national sevens team Shujaa suffered a huge drop in form in the HSBC World Series that concluded last year as they managed only a 12th place finish having closed the season with 63 points.

It was a sharp dip from the previous year where they had finished seventh on 93 points, the same year they made history by winning the Main Cup in Singapore under former coach Benjamin Ayimba.

As Innocent ‘Namcos’ Simiyu took over the reins following the dismissal of Ayimba, the former Shujaa captain made a bold reshuffle as he left out Collins Injera – the then all-time leading try scorer – and Nakuru RFC star Oscar Ouma.

The team, captained by Andrew Amonde started the season poorly in the Dubai opener managing to get just five points and reaching the semi-finals of the challenge trophy where they lost out to Argentina.

They performed better in the second leg of Cape Town sevens where they reached in the finals of fifth place only to lose 21-33 to Fiji to collect 12 points.

In the third leg played in Australia, head coach Simiyu was confident of a good performance after welcoming deputy skipper Injera back into his fold.

Although they got fewer points than in the previous round in Cape Town, Shujaa managed to win the Challenge trophy in Wellington after defeating Australia 19-17.

Kenya slipped in the fourth round of the series in Sydney managing only two points after they were defeated in the finals of the 13th place by Canada.

This result was different from that of 2015 where Shujaa had performed well finishing 6th after losing in the finals of fifth place to Argentina.

They had something to cover their humiliation with after Oscar Ayodi emerged joint top try scorer in that round with seven tries together with Nathan Hirayama (Canada), Savenaca Rwaca (Fiji), Seabelo Senatia (South Africa) and Rieko Loane(New Zealand).

Simiyu dropped Oscar Ouma and Brian Tanga from the squad that went for the fifth and sixth legs in Las Vegas and Vancouver.

In Las Vegas, Simiyu boys won their second challenge trophy of the season defeating Samoa 21-14 to finish ninth with 8 points.

Their sixth round of Vancouver sevens they finished 12th with 5 points only managing to reach the semi finals of the challenge trophy.

Struggling to improve their 12th place after the opening 6th rounds Shujaa suffered a huge blow when Willy Ambaka and Dan Sikuta pulled out of the squad.

Having both played for the last six outings, Sikuta was out due to injury while Ambaka was out to pursue a move to a club in New Zealand.

In Hong Kong they finished 10th with 7 points losing 21-19 to Scotland in the finals of challenge trophy.

Heading to the eighth round of Singapore 7’s as the defending champions, Shujaa only managed 10 points finishing seventh.

In 2015 Kenya wrote history in their IRB series winning the Singapore 7’s by defeating the then champions Fiji 30-7.

Things went from bad to worse for Kenya in the second last round of the series finishing last in the Paris 7’s managing only a point.

Shujaa was without winger Collins Injera who was out due to injury.

Homeboyz winger Cyprian Kuto was recalled in the team as the 13th player in the season finale in London.

But they managed to reach the semifinals of the Challenge trophy which they were defeated by France to finish the season 12th with a total of 63 points.

The big question is will Simiyu and his technical bench be able to lead Shujaa to their target of 100 points this season?

The last time Kenya neared a 100 point mark was in the 2012/2013 season where they finished with 99 points under the stewardship of English coach Mike Friday.

Tags:

Shujaa HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Want to send us a story? Submit on Wananchi Reporting on the Citizen Digital App or Send an email to wananchi@royalmedia.co.ke or Send an SMS to 25170 or WhatsApp on 0743570000

Leave a Comment

Comments

No comments yet.

latest stories