Kenya 7s out to improve in Hong Kong

Kenya national sevens team are eager to bounce back from their dismal showing at the Vancouver leg of the HSBC World Series when they take to the pitch at Friday’s Hong Kong Sevens.

Head Coach Benjamin Ayimba’s boys have been pooled against New Zealand, Samoa and France in Pool A, in what has been termed the group of death.

Shujaa will take on Samoa at 1:10pm local time (+3GMT) New Zealand and France scheduled for Saturday at 6:40am and 10:40am.

Homeboyz flyer Alvin Otieno who earned his first national call up  is part of the four changes that Ayimba was  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 in as replacements.

Ayimba is positive that his stars’ replacements are capable of making positive impacts to the team, asking them to seize their opportunities to impress.

“I think Oscar and Odhiambo are our major exclusions. They have been playing a lot of games so this will double up as a rest for them and it’s a good opportunity for the young guys we selected as their replacements to show us what they ca do,” the Maseno School alumnus told Citizen Digital.

“It’s a tough pool but we’re up to the task.”

Ayimba says he is wary of New Zealand whom he says will have revenge on their minds when the two lock horns on Saturday.

“We beat them so they are going to come very hard at us. We are yet to find a winning formula against France and we hope we can do so in Hong Kong. We lost to Samoa in Vancouver so you get the sense; it’s a very tough pool for us,” he stated.

Kenya are eighth with 53 points after six legs of the 2015/2016 HSBC World Rugby Sevens series.

Kenya squad to Hong Kong and Singapore:

Andrew Amonde (KCB, Captain), Collins Injera (Mwamba), Humphrey Kayange (Mwamba), Biko Adema (Nondescripts), Oscar Ayodi (Menengai Cream Homeboyz), Augustine Lugonzo ( Menengai Cream Homeboyz), William Ambaka (Kenya Harlequin), Frank Wanyama (Kenya Harlequin), Nelson Oyoo (Top Fry Nakuru), Robert Aringo (Resolution Impala Saracens), Samuel Oliech (Resolution Impala Saracens), Alvin Otieno (Menengai Cream Homeboyz)

Non Travelling Reserves: Samuel Motari (Resolution Impala Saracens), Alex Olaba (Pan Africa Strathmore Leos)

Management: Benjamin Ayimba (Head Coach), Paul Murunga (Assistant Coach), Geoffrey Kimani (Strength & Conditioning Coach), Lameck Bogonko ( Physio), Newton Ong’alo (Team Manager)