Kenya Simbas prop undergoes surgery in South Africa, out for six months

Ian Njenga

Ian Njenga in hospital after surgery in Cape Town, South Africa on April 26, 2022. The Kenya Simbas player has been ruled out of action for six months.

Photo credit: Pool |

What you need to know:

  • Njenga, who featured in the first match for Simbas in South Africa at the Currie Cup Division 1 against Valke, which Kenya lost 51-14 on April 9, sustained a knee injury in training on April 21.
  • He missed Simbas' 22-21 loss to Zimbabwe on April 23. It was initially thought he will be out for a few weeks.

Kenya Simbas and Nondescripts RFC prop Ian Njenga will miss rugby action for six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon.

Njenga, who featured in the first match for Simbas in South Africa at the Currie Cup Division 1 against Valke, which Kenya lost 51-14 on April 9, sustained a knee injury in training on April 21.

He missed Simbas' 22-21 loss to Zimbabwe on April 23. It was initially thought he will be out for a few weeks.

"Clinical assessment has revealed a torn Achilles‘ tendon, confirmed by radiological investigations," Simbas team manager Jimmy Mnene has told Nation Sport on Tuesday.

Njenga underwent successful surgery in Cape Town on Monday and is currently recuperating.

"He shall commence rehab and should be out of the sport for about six months," he noted.

Mnene said that there are no other injuries in camp "just small knocks from the Zimbabwe game but nothing major."

Kenya Simbas is in South Africa for about two and a half months training and playing in the Currie Cup in readiness for the 2022 Africa Cup which serves as 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifiers.

Coach Paul Odera's side will meet arch-rivals Uganda in one of the Africa Cup quarterfinals on July 2 in France. Other countries in contention for a place at the the World Cup are Namibia, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Algeria.