Charles Nyende
8 May 2008
Nairobi — Fabled sevens playing nations Fiji have confirmed participation in this year's Tusker Safari Sevens that will be held from June 21 to 23 at Rugby Football Union of East Africa ground.
Kenya Rugby Football Union chairman Richard Omwela said during the official launch of the tournament that Fiji had committed themselves in writing to compete in this, the 13th edition of the Safari Sevens.
Also confirmed for the tournament are, of course, hosts Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Japan, Namibia and Tunisia, who have all seen action in the elite International Rugby Board world sevens series.
Making a return to the tournament are 2001 and 2002 champions British Army accompanied by regular participants Bristol University Select and Samurai.
Star team
University de Grenoble-Paris of France will make a maiden appearance while the France national team has been bracketed by organisers, pending confirmation.
"France want to be flown to Nairobi.
"We are still talking to them," Omwela said.
Shujaa, Kenya ex-Internationals and Goshawks of Zimbabwe have been put on stand-by.
Fiji were touted as the star team in last year's tournament only to pull out at the last minute.
This year's tournament received a major boast when East Africa Breweries Limited, through their Tusker brand, increased their sponsorship to Sh24 million, out of which Sh18 million goes directly to the organisers.
"Tusker sports is all about creating and nurturing sport talent in Kenya by staging world class events locally," Tusker marketing manager, Caroline Ndungu, said.
The Tusker Safari Sevens, considered one of the premier sevens event in Africa, has grown in stature to become an almost must-attend event on the Nairobi calendar.
Gate fee increased
Organisers have now raised entry fee from Sh600 to Sh800 on day two and day three, while a season ticket will go for Sh1,500, up from Sh1,200.
But despite the increase in sponsorship and growth in popularity, there still will be no prize money on offer for the competing teams.
"Prize money is no longer attractive with professionalism in the world. We do not want to see mercenaries coming," Omwela said.
The absence of prize money has dismayed members of the Kenya sevens team, who have consistently remained one of the star attractions of the tournament.
"Hong Kong Sevens is what it is today because of the money on offer," Kenya sevens coach Benjamin Ayimba said.
Hong Kong Sevens, considered on of the world's best tournaments in the shortened version of the game, has a prize money offer of $125,000 (ShSh7.7 million) on top of paying an appearance fee to all competing teams.
"They (Safari Sevens organisers) should motivate the players with money to want to win the tournament. There should be incentives.
"This is the only way to attract the top players in the world. This is disappointing," Ayimba said.
"We are the ones people go to see at the Safari Seven. Good professionals players play where there is money," another player said.
Tusker Safari Sevens teams - Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Emerging Boks, University de Grenoble, Japan, Bristol University Select, British Army, Fiji, Namibia, Tunisia, Tanzania, Samurai, Botswana, France (to be confirmed).
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I was just curious and would like to know if the Fiji Army Team will be part-taking this year.