KRU picks three Friday deputies

Mwamba RFC head coach Tito Oduk, Kenya Harlequin technical director Felix Ochieng and former Kenya Sevens coach Mitch Ocholla will deputise the Kenya Sevens head coach, Mike Friday.

The trio will join the Briton and strength and conditioning coach Chris Brown to prepare the team for a busy 2013/2014 season. Brown is expected in the country tomorrow for five days before leaving for his native New Zealand.

Brown, who handled Namibia 15s team at the 2011 World Cup, will be back at the end of the month on time to link up with Friday and Craig White, the head of IRB strength and conditioning, for a series of development programmes in August.

Oduk did well in the interview at Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) on Friday, followed by Ochieng and Ocholla. Charles Cardovillis, John Mbai, Paul Odera and Edwin Shimenga fell off the process that featured local sevens coaches while Nakuru-based Shimenga was locked out for lateness.

Oduk, who attended a high profiled training at the prestigious International High Performance Unit in Canterbury, New Zealand in April to enrich his status to IRB Level III status confirmed having received a communique from KRU dircetor in charge of national teams and elite training, Philip Jalang’o.

“However, we are yet to meet and iron out terms of reference. I should be meet the Union tomorrow,” said Oduk, 34.

Friday took over from Ocholla after the team was disbanded for poor run in the 2011/2012 IRB World Series. Cardovillis was Ocholla’s deputy while Mbai was team manager. Ochieng also served in the disbanded team as an analyst.

Consequently, KRU has released the dates for the 2012 National Sevens Circuit.

Christie Sevens that is hosted by Kenya Harlequin, take place on August 11 to 12 at the RFUEA grounds.

Action will then move to the lakeside city of Kisumu a week later for the Dala Sevens to be staged at the Kisumu Polytechnic grounds. With no activity on the weekend of August 25 to 26, teams will converge at the Nakuru Athletic Club grounds on September 1 to 2 for the Prinsloo Sevens. It wil be followed by the George Mwangi Kabeberi Memorial Sevens September 8 to 9 at the RFUEA Grounds.

Curtains will fall on the circuit at the Mombasa Sports Club with the Driftwood Sevens on September 15 to 16.