Inconsistent Shujaa set eyes on Samoa

The hot and cold blowing Innocent Simiyu coached Kenya Shujaa will play their opening match of the IRB World Series fourth round in the Hamilton Sevens in New Zealand against Samoa at 1.00 am (EAT) on Saturday, February 3, 2018.

Drawn in pool D, they will then face the in-form Canada at 4.26am (EAT) before playing their last pool match against their former coach Mike Fridays USA at 8.22 am (EAT).

Shujaa who arrived in New Zealand on Monday will be aiming to improve their seventh place in their last outing at the Sydney 7’s which enabled them to climb to ninth place with 23 points.

Innocent Simiyu’s boys who had the target of gaining 10 points in each leg this season are way behind in attaining the goal after losing seven points on the way.

Having already attained their target in the Dubai 7’s and Sydney 7’s, they won’t want to repeat of the  Cape Town Sevens nightmare where they only collected three points.

In New Zealand, their fierce rivals will be the USA, managed by their former coach, Mike Friday, who finished third in the Sydney Sevens last weekend.

Friday is best remembered for taking Shujaa near the 100 point mark when they finished with 99 points in the 2012/2013 season.

Kenya has already played Canada this season at the Dubai Sevens with the Simiyu coached side winning 29-15, but they must be careful, following the latter’s impressive show in Cape Town 7s where they finished third.