Tony Omondi returns to Shujaa squad after missing Dubai 7s
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Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 02.12.24. | 21:23
Omondi, who previously captained the team alongside Vincent Onyala, will replace Chrisant Ojwang
Former Kenya Sevens co-captain Tony Omondi has rejoined the squad for the upcoming Cape Town 7s after missing the Dubai 7s due to contractual issues.
Omondi, who previously captained the team alongside Vincent Onyala, will replace Chrisant Ojwang, who suffered an injury during the team's ninth-place semifinal against Ireland.
His absence from the Shujaa squad did not stop him from enjoying the Dubai 7s as he played for the invitational side: Shogun Rugby.
Speaking on Ojwang’s injury, head coach Kevin Wambua expressed relief that it was not as severe as initially feared.
"We actually thought he fractured his ankle, but Lameck (Shujaa medical officer) says it is not that serious. Yes, he requires some surgery, but he will be up and running soon.
Our priority is to ensure his surgery is done as early as today so that he can start his rehabilitation," Wambua said.
Shujaa’s Dubai 7s campaign was a mixed bag, with Wambua praising the resilience of his team, which featured eight debutants.
"I am very proud of the boys. We told ourselves we were going to be brave and take ownership of this team. The way the boys played, you couldn’t even tell we were that inexperienced.
It’s very positive – two wins, three losses – not really what we wanted, but every point is important at this stage," he continued.
Kenya started their campaign with a narrow 24-19 loss to France but bounced back with a spirited 22-17 victory over South Africa.
A 31-14 defeat to Australia in their final pool game relegated them to the ninth-place semifinals, where they outclassed Ireland 21-7.
However, Shujaa fell to Uruguay in the ninth-place playoff to finish 10th, mirroring their performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
With the Cape Town 7s set to kick off from Saturday 6 to Sunday 7 December at the Nelson Mandela Stadium, Shujaa will look to build on their Dubai experience.
The team has been placed in Pool B alongside Spain and Australia, presenting an opportunity to exact revenge on the latter.
Cape Town 7s Pools
Pool A: Fiji, Great Britain, Uruguay
Pool B: Spain, Australia, Kenya
Pool C: Argentina, South Africa, Ireland
Pool D: New Zealand, France, USA
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