Amonde exits Kenya 7s scene as a legend who started from the bottom

When the annals of Kenyan rugby history will ever be written at some point and time, a chapter or two of the book will surely be saved for one Andrew Opede ‘Asusu’ Amonde.

A Kenya Sevens legend who as a young man started the game of rugby completely clueless and at an age when no one is expected to fully grasp the sport. But against all odds, Amonde’s steely determination scaled him to the top, where he proudly stands as the only captain who has ever led Shujaa to their only prestigious HSBC World Sevens Series Title that came in Singapore 2016.

But after two Olympic appearances and 15 years in the sport, 2021 was the year the former Shujaa captain called it a day on the international scene after the conclusion of the delayed Tokyo 2020 Games where he had the perfect sendoff as he led both the rugby side and the whole Team Kenya contingent in Japan.

“I think the decision came at the right time because I can say I have served enough. It was just a mutual time to make the call because I had represented the country at two Olympics and played as much as possible so it was also good to give the upcoming talent a chance to showcase themselves and in terms of growth, it is a chance for the new youngsters to take the country to the next level,” Amonde reflects of his decision to retire.

Back to his last game donning the Kenyan stripes in Japan, an emotional Asusu shed tears at the Tokyo Stadium as Kenya thumped Ireland 0-22 to seal a ninth place finish. All the power in his legs and hands could not contain mere tears. He wept (no pun intended).

While that was not the rosiest of tales the former Kisumu RFC player has ever had with the national team, it is the journey of improvement since he started playing the game that brought him to tears.

“I started playing rugby at a very low level and at a very small club in Kisumu but I kept on growing my expectation as I kept playing in the game. Every time I got an opportunity to grow, I kept shifting my goals because when you are given a chance you are expected to give your best and perform. For me, I think I did my part and represented my country well,” the KCB captain told Mozzart Sport.

Starting out on the wing and midfield, Amonde, who later moved to the backrow, was first capped for the Kenya 15s national side, The Simbas, by Michael “Tank” Otieno in 2007 and continued to put in regular appearances for the Simbas whenever he was available for selection.

He would then be cherry picked by the late Benjamin Ayimba to the Kenya Sevens national team in 2008 but had to wait for almost four years before starting to make regular appearances in the team.

Sadly, the same year that he retired from the game to pursue his coaching side is the same year his mentor, Ayimba, who had given him the maiden call to Shujaa succumbed to cerebral malaria, leaving Amonde with many questions than answers. What’s worse, Amonde was not able to send off his hero in a manner he would have wanted.

“Benja is somebody I hold very highly because he was the first Kenya 7s coach to give me a call up. Losing him at such an early age was very tough because we still had a lot to share in the world of sports. We never had a chance to celebrate the time we had with him because at the time he was being laid to rest, we were in camp. We never saw him. Whenever he was in hospital, we were not allowed to see him. When he passed on we never paid our last respects as well before he was laid to rest. We only managed to see the family who were left behind. It was a tough moment and it was something that we will always remember. I do not know if we will ever have that closure of never sending him off.”

In Asusu’s journey, perhaps it was more fitting that a career started at the lowest level finished at the very greatest pinnacle sports has to offer. He retires as a legend forever and Kenya’s second most capped sevens player having played 358 World Series matches, scoring 64 tries.

Key Moments

He captained the team to the Wellington Sevens final in 2013, as well as that year’s Rugby World Cup Sevens where they reached a second successive semifinal. Asusu also captained the team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the historic 2016 Singapore Sevens where Kenya won its maiden Sevens World Series cup final as well as the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games.

Achievements

Led the side to win the Singapore 7s

Captained Shujaa to their maiden Olympics in 2016.

Captained Shujaa to the 2013 Rugby World Cup held in Russia as Kenya finished fourth. The forward also took part in the 2018 Rugby World and Commonwealth Games.

Played 358 matches, scoring 64 for a total of 320 points. He has 528 carries, 62 clean breaks and 369 tackles (all-time highest for Kenya).

Amonde has also represented Kenya in Rugby Africa Men’s sevens.

In 2019, he received a Head of State Commendation for his service to the nation.