NAIROBI — National rugby 7s team head coach Kevin 'Bling' Wambua admits he is experiencing a selection headache due to increasing quality in the team.
Wambua says he is plagued by a plethora of options in terms of players that warrant a chance in Shujaa squad.
"Naming the squad is becoming harder because we are almost getting back all our key players. John Okoth is almost coming in...Ojwang (Chrisant) has began his rehabilitation and Lameck is already training. The overall quality of the squad has increased and the squad is becoming harder to name, which is a good problem for the coach," Wambua said.
Shujaa are preparing for the fourth leg of the World Rugby Series, set for February 21-22 in Vancouver, Canada.
Ahead of the battle, Wambua has named a 15-man squad that includes debutants, Kabras Sugar's Jone Kubu and Jackson Siketi.
The coach is excited about the duo, adding that their inclusion takes the squad quality up a notch.
"Jackson Siketi is a very young player...I don't know whether he has turned 18. He's great...he's got an eye for the gaps...now it is time for him to step up and see how tough the series can be. He's part of our long term plan in that whenever we carry 13 players, we also add one more for developmental purposes," he said.
Wambua added: "Looking at Kubu, he's a straight swap with Shiasi...he brings us something different, he can play 9, he can play 10 as well as centre. He's got a good eye for the gap and good on the 1-v-1 so he'll give us something different especially in the second half when we are a bit tired and need someone who can open up gaps for us."
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In Canada, Shujaa will be in Pool A, along with Great Britain, Argentina and France in what promises to be another test of character for the home boys.
They will be hoping for an improved performance from the last leg of the series in Perth where they finished 10th after losing 19-12 to New Zealand in the ninth-place playoff.
"In Australia, I believe that the boys played well...it's just that this wasn't reflected in the results. We ended up missing on the quarterfinals by eight points, which was by just one try and conversion. It was a learning curve and process for us. Whenever things get, it doesn't matter if we lose a game...as we long as we pick a point," he said.
Wambua believes Shujaa have the capacity to reach the quarters of the main cup, the pedigree of their opponents notwithstanding.
"Right now we know that if we can get a point off Argentina, probably go head to head with France and beat Britain, we are straight into the quarters. For us, we have understood that giving up the last two minutes of the game, mentally, ended up costing us a quarterfinal place in Perth and that is something we do not want to repeat," he said.
Shujaa begin their Vancouver campaign against Argentina on Saturday midnight before squaring up to France, five hours later.
They then face off with the English at 10 pm.
