Collins Injera, Oscar Ouma axed from Sevens squad

Kenya's Collins Injera (right) with France's Terry Bouhraoua (L) during the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens quarter final match in Moscow, on June 30, 2013. Injera is among senior Kenya Sevens players who missed the last three legs of the World Rugby Sevens who returned to the national team. FILE PHOTO | KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV | AFP

What you need to know:

  • World Rugby Sevens Series all-time leading try scorer Collins Injera and Oscar Ouma are the only key players dropped from the Kenya Sevens team that departs on Monday night for Dubai Sevens, the opening leg  of the 2016/2017 World Rugby Sevens Series due this weekend.

  • Also not travelling are Oscar Ayodi and Bush Mwale from Homeboyz as well as Impala’s Sammy Oliech.

  • Sources at Kenya Rugby Union disclosed that most were excluded owing to discipline issues after the team went on strike last week owing to outstanding bonuses.

World Rugby Sevens Series all-time leading try scorer Collins Injera and Oscar Ouma are the only key players dropped from the Kenya Sevens team that departs on Monday night for Dubai Sevens, the opening leg  of the 2016/2017 World Rugby Sevens Series due this weekend.

Also not travelling are Oscar Ayodi and Bush Mwale from Homeboyz as well as Impala’s Sammy Oliech.

Sources at Kenya Rugby Union disclosed that most were excluded owing to discipline issues after the team went on strike last week owing to outstanding bonuses.

Head coach Innocent Simiyu downplayed the impasse saying most have form issues, having not played any matches including the National Sevens Series.

The Kenya Sevens team that was on go-slow since Tuesday last week, agreed to resume training on Monday after the government and Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) agreed to jointly pay them outstanding match bonuses amounting to Sh23million.

“Ouma has just recovered from an illness while we have talked to Injera, who is key to our plan concerning our target and he is not yet there,” said Simiyu.

“Ayodi is injured while Mwale is on our non-travelling list.”

However, Simiyu has handed two players their maiden World Rugby Sevens Series appearance when he named his final squad of 12 players for Dubai Sevens on Monday.

 

Kenya Sevens players Cyprian Kuto (left), William Ambaka (centre) and captain Andrew Amonde (right) at the RFUEA grounds on November 28, 2016 ahead of the team's departure to the Dubai Sevens set for this weekend. PHOTO | AYUMBA AYODI |

Sensational Kenya Simbas and Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) utility back Darwin Mukidza and Kabras Sugar winger Brian Tanga have been drafted into the squad.

Mukidza, 28, was a previous call up to Kenya Sevens but never made it to the final team but prominently featured for Kenya Simbas that beat Brazil and Hong Kong in international test matches.

Tanga made the team for Amsterdam Sevens in May and was in Rio Olympics Games training squad but failed to make the final cut for the Summer Games.

Kabras Sugar’s Dan Sikuta, Martin Owila (KCB), Cyprian Kuto (Homeboyz), Nelson Oyoo (Nakuru) and Frank Wanyama (Kenya Harlequin) will be making a welcome return to the World Series.

Andrew Amonde has been retained as skipper in the team that has regulars William Ambaka (Quins) and Billy Odhiambo (Mwamba).

Kenya will get their World Series underway in Dubai with a clash against France at 8.00am on Saturday before taking on Japan at 11.00am. They will complete their Pool D fixtures against Australia at 5.17pm.

SQUAD

Dan Sikuta, Brian Tanga (Kabras Sugar), Martin Owila, Andrew Amonde, Darwin Mukidza (KCB), Frank Wanyama, William Ambaka (Quins),Leonard Mugaisi, Cyprian Kuto, Augustine Lugonzo (Homeboyz), Billy Odhiambo (Mwamba), Nelson Oyoo (Nakuru)