We were not up to task, coach Otieno concedes defeat

The national rugby team, which was bundled out of the Africa Zone Rugby World Cup qualifiers, returned home on Monday admitting defeat to a better prepared and well-drilled Tunisian side.

Kenya lost 15-44 to Tunisia who together with Namibia, Cote d’Ivoire and Uganda qualify for the semi-finals.

The next challenge is a regional duel where Kenya hosts Uganda in the return leg of Elgon Cup on August 16. Already, the stakes are high after Uganda won the first leg 20-3 in Kampala in May.

It was a crunch match which Kenya had to win against all odds. But, Kenya’s away record has not been impressive and the only wins against Namibia, Morocco and Tunisia have been at home. At stake was a semi-final berth and possible qualification to the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

The sweltering heat took its toll on an already weakened Kenya squad which barely engaged the second gear in Tunis.

Innocent Simiyu, Kenya’s captain admitted they were not quick off the starting blocks, conceding 14 points in the opening eight minutes. “It was like going to war with a pen knife in a gun fight. They were better conditioned, fitter and technically superior,” the captain said.

In planning for the match against Tunisia, the Kenya technical bench had banked on a forward game with a much slower Tunisian pack. It was a different case out there because Tunisia came out with all their guns blazing and outplayed Kenya in all departments.

“They took the game at a pace which surprised us,” said coach Michael Otieno. Defence is still one of the big headaches for the Kenya team. “Tunisia overpowered us in open play and broke through our line at will which is a big concern,” observed Simiyu.

His advise is to start early preparations and invest in the technical bench by continuing with technical assistance from outside the country.

But, an immediate attention should be the realignment of the local rugby season to the international calendar.

“Players burn out turning for the national team and the local league. There is an urgent need to revise the season so that it complies with the International Rugby Board calendar to give the national team more time to concentrate on assignments. Uganda have gone this way and we also need to follow suit,” Simiyu added.

His sentiments were supported by Otieno who also said more quality build up matches were needed for the team which only plays a maximum of seven matches in a season. Otieno admitted the absence of five key players partly contributed to the big defeat.

“There was a system we were already working on and it was almost impossible for the new players to fit in at a short notice. But, we also need to pay attention to the conditioning of the players and gym work is paramount,” the coach said.

The team barely has time to rest before resuming training at the weekend for the return leg of Elgon Cup on August 16 in Nairobi. “It will be equally tough. I am not a god to promise we will win but Uganda are the Africa champions and are through to the semi-finals of the RWC qualifiers which we missed out on,” Otieno acknowledged.

As a parting shot, Otieno believes the only way forward is to stabilise the squad system by having a Kenya A side as a feeder to the senior team.