The Nation (Nairobi)

Kenya: Rugby - Coach Ayimba to Name Squad

Nairobi — Several changes are expected when the national seven-a-side rugby team is named at Rugby Football Union of East Africa ground on Wednesday.

The team will take part in the last two legs of the 2007/2008 International Rugby Board Sevens World Series in England and Scotland.

Coach Benjamin Ayimba and his technical bench of Felix Ochieng and Oscar Osir are likely to include new faces in the team due to injuries to some key players and the unavailability of some because of job and school commitments.

The team leaves on Sunday.

Humphrey Kayange, who has captained the team this season, is unavailable, as is his brother, Collins Injera, who has college commitments.

Injera is the top try scorer for Kenya this season on 18 while Kayange has scored 16. Assistant captain Dennis Mwanja has 17. Mwamba forward, Victor Oduor, is injured.

Impala's Peter Ocholla has a knee injury and is out for the next four months while Nakuru's Edwin Shimenga is in Canada. Former captain Innocent Simiyu will only be available for the Edinburgh leg. Charles Kanyi, who played in the Adelaide leg, still has a nagging groin injury.

Ayimba and his team had a look at some of the players at the recent Tanger Sevens in Morocco. Two players - Joshua Gathumbi and Allan Makaka - were impressive in Morocco.

Mean Machine's Wilson K'Opondo and Victor Sudi, could be called upon.

Ayimba said Kenya would gun for a minimum of eight points in the UK, which means reaching the quarter-final of the main cup competition in both legs.

Kenya is fifth in the IRB Sevens World Series with 38 points and is drawn in Pool 'D' with Samoa, Russia and Scotland for the London leg to be played at Twickenham.

In the Scotland leg in Edinburgh, Kenya will play against Fiji, France and Moldova.

Kenya's Shujaa seven-a-side team, which played at the fifth Tanger tournament at the weekend in Morocco, returned on Monday. Shujaa were beaten 14-12 by Emerging Springboks on Saturday at the semi-final stage.

Assistant captain Philip Moturi and Lavin Asego scored one try each with Asego adding one conversion.

Tagged: East Africa, Kenya, Sport

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