Four rookies make Kenya 7s squad for Singapore, Vancouver series
Kenya's Nelson Oyoo (front) is marked by an Ireland player during their Pool "C" match of the Tokyo Olympics at Tokyo Olympic Stadium on July 27, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Singapore Sevens will run from April 9 to 10 at the National Stadium, Singapore, with the Vancouver Sevens scheduled for April 16 to 17 at BC Place, Canada.
Four players will make their debut for Kenya Sevens at the World Rugby Sevens Series at the fifth and sixth legs of the series in Singapore and Vancouver respectively.
Singapore Sevens will run from April 9 to 10 at the National Stadium, Singapore, with the Vancouver Sevens scheduled for April 16 to 17 at BC Place, Canada.
Head coach Innocent “Namcos” Simiyu picked former Kenya Under-20 international Richel Wangila, Zeden Marrow, Collins Shikoli all from Homeboyz, and Ben Salem of Nondescripts for their first tour of the series.
Simiyu explained that Wangila, Marrow and Shikoli will play in Singapore where Kenya made history in 2016, winning the leg, while Salem will link up with the team in Vancouver alongside seasoned players Alvin Otieno of KCB Rugby and Timothy Mmasi of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.
Kenya has been handed a tough Pool “A” that has South Africa, who have won four legs in Dubai and Spain in November last year and January this year.
The United States of America and Canada complete the tough pool.
“We are in a very competitive pool in Singapore and we obviously want to improve on our performances from the last outing in Spain. The focus is to qualify from the pool,” said Simiyu when naming the team at the RFUEA ground.
Kenya Sevens are placed eighth in the 2021/2022 series with 31 points with their best show coming from Dubai II where they finished sixth for 12 points. They collected 10 points from Dubai I where they settled eighth.
They only managed a point from Malaga I where they finished last but improved at Seville II where they settled ninth to collect eight points.
Shujaa squad
Nelson Oyoo (Nakuru, Co-Captain), Herman Humwa (Kenya Harlequin, Co-Captain), Billy Odhiambo (Mwamba), Bush Mwale (Homeboyz), Daniel Taabu (Mwamba), Levy Amunga (KCB), Tony Omondi (Mwamba), Edmund Anya (Impala Saracens), Kevin Wekesa (Kabras Sugar), Alvin Marube (Impala Saracens), Collins Shikoli (Homeboyz), Zeden Marrow (Homeboyz), Richel Wangila (Homeboyz), Alvin Otieno (KCB), Timothy Mmasi (Masinde Muliro), Ben Salem (Nondescript)
Singapore Sevens pools
Pool A: South Africa, USA, Kenya, Canada
Pool B: Australia, England, Spain, Samoa
Pool C: Argentina, Scotland, Wales, New Zealand
Pool D: Ireland, France, Japan, Fiji
