Off-the-pitch issues cost Shujaa dearly in Hong Kong
Ireland's Jack Kelly (left) breaks away from the tackle of Kenya's Tony Omondi (right) on the first day of the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament on November 4, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Kenya Sevens finished the Hong Kong Sevens preliminary round outing winless, having lost 19-14 to Canada and 26-7 to Argentina on Saturday in their final Pool “D” matches at the Hong Kong Stadium.
- Shujaa had lost to Ireland 28-12 on Friday in their opening match. Kenya Sevens were due to play 13-time World Rugby Sevens series champions New Zealand in the Challenge Trophy quarter-finals at 4.45am earlier on Sunday.
Kenya Sevens head coach Damian McGrath has apologised for the poor results the team registered in Hong Kong Sevens, but said that his players couldn’t have given their best with many off-the-pitch problems affecting them.
Kenya Sevens finished the Hong Kong Sevens preliminary round outing winless, having lost 19-14 to Canada and 26-7 to Argentina on Saturday in their final Pool “D” matches at the Hong Kong Stadium.
Shujaa had lost to Ireland 28-12 on Friday in their opening match. Kenya Sevens were due to play 13-time World Rugby Sevens series champions New Zealand in the Challenge Trophy quarter-finals at 4.45am earlier on Sunday.
“We started well especially against Ireland and Canada but the players are not settled. There are off-the-field issues occupying their thoughts. It’s hard to get motivation with such issues behind the scenes,” said McGrath, adding that his boys came close to beating Canada.
“I am disappointed we lost to Canada and the players know it,” he said.
McGrath however said his players are determined to give their best against New Zealand, against whom he intends to give debutants Denis Abukuse and George “Japolo” Ooro starting slots.
“We are not in the best place but the boys will dig in and give everything they got against the All Blacks,” said McGrath.
McGrath cited several issues affecting the team, including lack of training facilities, lack of contracts for the players and salaries for the technical bench last week before the team left for Hong Kong Sevens, the opening leg of the 2022/2023 World Rugby Sevens series.
McGrath said he has not been paid his salary for the last two months while the players haven’t been offered contracts nor received their allowances since the Rugby World Cup Sevens in September in Cape Town.
Both Kenya and Canada were relegated to the Challenge Trophy. Ireland staged one of their most thrilling displays to stun Vancouver Sevens champions Argentina 21-17 in a see-saw duel to finish Pool “D” unbeaten.
Ireland had beaten Canada 19-17, who had earlier gone down 36-0 to Argentina on Friday.
Willy “Lomu” Ambaka and Billy “The Kid” Odhiambo’s tries failed to rescue Shujaa, who trailed 14-7 at the break against Canada.
Phil Berna sliced through for the touchdown to put Canada ahead 7-0 after Thomas Isherwood had made the conversion.
But Ambaka hit back for Kenya, and Anthony Omondi added the extras to pull level 7-7, only for Lachlan Kratz to put Canada 14-7 ahead at the break with another Isherwood conversion.
Berna completed his brace as Isherwood added the extras. Odhiambo’s try at the death failed to turn the tide in favour of the team.
In their next match, Shujaa blew away their 7-0 lead to trail 14-7 at the break before going down to Argentina.
It took two minutes for the match to open up when Vincent Onyala drew first blood for Kenya before Anthony Omondi converted for Shujaa.
Thereafter, the Pumas controlled the match, with Luciano Gonzalez converting Rodrigo Isgro’s try to level the duel.
Gonzalez beat Shujaa’s defence to land a try, and Tobias Wade added the extras to lead 14-7 at the drinks.
Agustin Fraga and Matias Osadczuk blew away Shujaa’s resistance with a try each as Wade managed to convert one for their second victory.
In the match to decide the pool winner, Ireland stormed to a 14-0 lead against Argentina to eventually win the match 17-14.
