Nothing to hide from Vegas trip

Kenya’s sevens team’s rise from the ashes of Dubai and George continued in Las Vegas where they lost in the plate final.

After a lucklustre showing in the last season and a slow a start this season, the team showed signs of recovery in Wellington and Las Vegas to chalk their first points of the International Rugby Board (IRB) World Sevens Circuit.

Their Bowl victory over Samoa at the Wellington Sevens and their subsequent loss to the South Pacific Ocean Islanders in Plate final at USA Sevens saw Kenya climb to ninth place in IRB standing with 12 points.

Consistent training

What has really impressed on the Kenyan side, which lacked in Dubai and George and to some extent last season, was the display of great mental strength, character and physical conditioning.

The eight weeks of consistent training, commitment of players and the return of conditioning coach Geoffrey Kimani seemed to have worked some magic. Who knows what the results could have been if he was drafted to the team much earlier.

The results have been evident by the superlative display by Biko Adema in Wellington Sevens where he scored six tries and nine conversions to lie second both in the tries chart and all tournament points score.

The Las Vegas marked the return of the Kenyan brothers act of Collins Injera and skipper Humphrey Kayange.

Injera could have delayed striking his 100th of tries in the IRB Series when he missed Dubai and George before his warm up return in Wellington.

But when he rediscovered his speed and sprightly legs, Kenya’s opponents were left chasing shadows as he topped the try charts in USA having crossed the line 10 times.

That saw the 24-year-old Mwamba player amass a total of 106 tries to tie in 12th place with Briton Richard Haughton on the IRB’s all time player tries list. His elder brother Kayange scored four tries in USA for a total 93 tries and is placed 19th.

This season, Kayange is the leading Kenyan with 12 tries and in 16th place while Injera is in tie 18th with 11 tries.

Hong Kong Sevens

However, kicker Lavin Asego is the highest placed Kenyan in 13th position with 759 points on the All Time Players Points roll of the Series which started in 1999.

The going can only get better for Kenya as the Series head for Hong Kong Sevens due March 25 to 27 and Adelaide on April 2 to 3.

In Las Vegas the Kenyans capitulated to Samoa, who could not defend their Cup title but took home the Plate after a 26-15 victory over Kayange’s side.

Powered by a cheering partisan crowd, Kayange, Injera and Sydney Ashioya touched down once but fell short of offsetting the deficit by Samoans after Fautua Otto, who scored a brace of tries with Alatasi Tupou and Afa Aiono contributing a try each. Stephen Betham converted three tries.

The Kenyans had rallied from behind 0-7, 12-12 and 17-21 to claim a place in Plate final with a sound 24-21 victory over Australia in the semi-final.

Australia captain Bernard Foley scored twice and John Grant added his 15th try of the season but Injera replied with a brace of tries with his last coming after the hooter had sounded to the delight of the partisan crowd.