Kenya7s upturn down to tactical switch Captain Amonde

The Kenya national sevens team Captain Andrew Amonde emphasised a change in tactical approach could prove a decisive turnaround to their HSBC World Rugby Series after a pumped up showing in Singapore.

Returning to the turf on which they lifted Kenya’s first ever Main Cup trophy on year ago, the Shujaa recovered from a mini-slump in form to collect ten points from their eighth leg of the 2017 season.

The Kenyans collected 10 points after winning two matches and losing one in pool C; thrashing Argentina 22-7, losing to Australia 29-7 before registering a 17-7 win over Samoa on Saturday to qualify for the Main Cup quarters for only the second time this season.

Their title defense hopes were torn to shreds by England in the dying minutes of the match after their opponents got a controversial last minute penalty to win 13-12.

Shujaa dropped to Plate semis where they lost 24-21 to New Zealand to settle for fifth with Derrick Mayar scoring his first ever World Rugby Sevens try.

“We had a fantastic tour despite not getting the right results that we expected, most of the things worked for us we got to try new things and we found them working well, for us,” Amonde said.

“it’s a team we are trying to build and things are working out well, we are trying to get results, boys are seeing some maturity come to the team and this is something we have worked on since the start of the season,” the KCB player added.

Shujaa has been drawn in pool C of the Paris Sevens alongside the team that knocked them out of Singapore 7s England last weekend.

Once again Kenya will face France and Spain who are the latest to earn their core status after the conclusion of Hong Kong sevens on Sunday 9 April.

The ninth round of HSBC World Series will kick off on the 13th -14th May.

“Paris is a good tournament for us coming back from a good tournament with boys who a really focusing, we have Paris and London tournament coming so we have to work hard.”

“The young boys have already settled and we are playing well so we are looking forward to get good results.” Amonde concluded.

Kenya now sit eleventh in the World Sevens Series with 57 points after 8 rounds of the ten-part season.

POOL C

England

Kenya

France

Spain