Shujaa out to seal quarters berth before N Zealand clash

After a gruelling journey to United States for this weekend’s Las Vegas 7s, Kenya reare out to secure Main Cup quarters qualification in their opening two Pool A games before meeting the feared New Zealand All Blacks in the last encounter on Saturday evening.

Benjamin Ayimba’s boys get their Las Vegas campaign at 3:13am local time (+3GMT) against Russia in a game they are expected to carry the day having impressed thus far this season when the fifth round of the 2015/16 HSBC World Sevens Series kicks off.

Portugal are next at 6:14am before the dreaded All Blacks fixture at 10:45pm and by then, Ayimba hopes to have secured passage to the last eight having handed the exiting Sammy Oliech his Shujaa debut for the tour of Vegas and the Vancouver next weekend.

“Oliech is a good player and for many years, he has been in the squad but has never got the chance to play.

“For now we think it is his time and see how he is going to help us. We have also incorporated the young players and have noted they are doing great. This was Oliech’s time to do so,” the head coach who led Kenya to the semi finals of the 2009 IRB Rugby Sevens World Cup in Dubai said when unveiling his travelling party last week.

Ayimba preached caution as he called on his boys to focus on the game before they left for America despite the seemingly easy path to the last eight in Vegas.

“It is tricky to play teams that are below us because they come hard knowing that we are a scalp that they can claim. Our last outing against New Zealand was not pretty and we look to improve our performance and not lift our foot off the pedal,” he added on their Pool A prospects.

Mwamba’s Dennis Ombachi who scored the try that secured Kenya’s Olympic qualification was called up for his first appearance of the season.

Augustine Lugonzo and Leonard Mugaisi also return to the fray after last appearing in Dubai and Cape Town tours earlier in the season.

The players rested for this tour are Donald Aluoch, Nelson Oyoo, Eden Agero and Bush Mwale who is injured.

Squad to Las Vegas and Vancouver

Andrew Amonde (KCB, Captain), Collins Injera (Mwamba), Oscar Ouma (Top Fry Nakuru), Humphrey Kayange (Mwamba), Augustine Lugonzo (Menengai Cream Homeboyz), Biko Adema (Nondescripts), William Ambaka (Kenya Harlequin), Oscar Ayodi (Menengai Cream Homeboyz), Dennis Ombachi (Mwamba), Billy Odhiambo (Pan Africa Strathmore Leos), Leonard Mugaisi (Menengai Cream Homeboyz), Samuel Oliech (Resolution Impala Saracens) Non travelling reserves Eden Agero (Kenya Harlequin), Samuel Motari (Resolution Impala Saracens), Robert Aringo (Resolution Impala Saracens)

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

Local Timings For Kenya’s Matches In Vegas

Saturday 5 March 2016

3.13am v Russia

6.14am v Portugal

10.54pm v New Zealand

 Report by Charity Wanja