Oliech, Ouma return to Kenya Sevens

Nakuru's Oscar Ouma and Samuel Oliech of Impala Saracens are back in the Kenya Sevens team as head coach Paul Feeney made five changes ahead of the fifth and sixth rounds of the 2019/2020 Sevens World Series in Los Angeles and Vancouver.

Ouma and Oliech last featured for Kenya Sevens during the 2017/18 season.

Also making a return are Kenya Commercial Bank's Jacob Ojee, Daniel Sikuta of Kabras Sugar and Oscar Dennis from Nondiescripts as affected the changes from the side that finished eighth in Hamilton and 16th and last in Sydney.

While naming the squad at the RFUEA grounds on Thursday, Feeney said the changes in addition to a positional change are meant to spur performance in the team.

"I want to give players an opportunity. It’s great to have Ouma and Oliech back for the first time after one season. Sikuta, who missed the last two legs, while Dennis has recovered from a broken cheekbone," Feeney noted. "Ojee is also back from an injury."

Ouma and Oliech expressed their delight at their return.

“It feels good to be back in the setup and getting another chance to represent the country. Going forward, it’s all about doing justice to the jersey and respecting it," Ouma said.

Ouma noted that the team that is a blend of experience and the upcoming players is bound to improve in the next lega of the Series.

"It’s just taking it up a notch higher and firing from all cylinders," said Ouma.

Oliech noted that the team has been playing well despite a few slip ups.

"The hunger is definitely there and all that needs to be done is altering and refining a few things and everything should be good to go, these changes can only happen with some time and focus," said Oliech.

Ojee, Sikuta and Dennis all make a return to Shujaa after missing out on the last legs in due to injury and squad rotation.

Feeney has dropped Bush Mwale, Geoffrey Okwach, Herman Humwa, Johnstone Olindi and Nelson Oyoo from the North American Series tour.

Kenya Sevens are in Pool "B" for the Los Angeles Sevens alongside South Africa, Ireland and Canada. They will start their fixtures with a clash against South Africa at 10.35pm (Kenyan time) on Saturday, February 29, before taking on Ireland at 1.31am on Sunday, March 1 and wind up their pool fixtures with a clash against Canada at 5.35am the same day.