Homeboyz flyer Otieno finally earns maiden Kenya 7s call-up

Homeboyz flyer Alvin Otieno has finally earned his maiden call up to the national rugby sevens team after being named in the squad this morning by head coach Benjamin Ayimba.

Otieno joins Frank Wanyama, Nelson Oyoo and Robert Aringo who also make a return to the squad that will compete at the Hong Kong and Singapore legs of the HSBC World Sevens Series early next month.

The 21 year-old Otieno has scored for Homeboyz in 15 out of their 16 Kenya Cup matches and his tenacity in attack is what caught the eye of the national selectors to cap him for the seventh and eighth stops of the Series.

“He is explosive off the mark and is a good defender. This is his debut, we want to give him a chance and see how he can play in a high pressure tournament,” Ayimba revealed while naming the 12 man squad in Nairobi on Wednesday.

Otieno is part of the four changes that Ayimba has been forced to make after a string of injuries that have ruled out Dennis Ombachi, Billy Odhiambo, Oscar Ouma and Leonard Mugaisi with Oyoo, Aringo and Wanyama also coming as replacements.

Oyoo who has featured in four legs has been recalled because of his blistering pace and eye for the try-line and Aringo’s versatility in attack will be a valuable asset in their tour of Asia,

“Aringo has a rugby brain, he is very good in the scrum, very resourceful,” Ayimba added.

Wanyama, 21, last featured for Shujaa at the Cape Town leg in South Africa in December 2015 and despite the Kenya Harlequins player showing a lot of promise, he received a lot of criticism on social media for his premature celebration against Argentina in the Main Cup semifinal when Kenya was on the verge of victory before losing by two points to miss the final.

“We don’t have a problem with him dancing. It’s never been an issue he only needs to do it at the right time,” Ayimba quipped.

He added Wanyama’s ball handling skills and ability to conjure up something out of nothing would be key in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Collins Injera, Biko Adema, Samuel Oliech, Humphrey Kayange and William Ambaka complete the rest of the traveling party.

At the Hong Kong Sevens which takes place from April 8 to 10, Kenya has a monumental task to steady the ship that went astray in Vancouver, Canada after the squad garnered a paltry point bowing out in the Shield Semifinal to Russia.

Ayimba’s charges will face off against Vancouver Sevens main cup champions New Zealand, France and a resurgent Samoa in Pool A.

“It’s a tough pool we have not beaten France this season, Samoa beat us in Vancouver, we beat New Zealand in Las Vegas and they will definitely not be playing us casually,” the head coach admitted.

Kenya are eighth with 53 points and will travel on Sunday.