How Ayimba influenced Collins Injera's choice of boots throughout his career
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Reading Time: 4min | Tue. 30.06.26. | 16:36
Whether by superstition or confidence, the boots accompanied one of the most decorated careers in rugby sevens history
Collins Injera's blistering speed and clinical finishing made him one of the greatest rugby sevens players the world has ever seen. However, alongside his incredible try-scoring exploits, there was one feature that fans could never miss: his flashy boots.
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The colourful footwear became synonymous with the Kenya Sevens legend throughout his illustrious 15-year career, but few knew that it all began with a challenge from then-head coach Benjamin Ayimba.
Injera recalled how a simple shopping trip during the 2008 London Sevens planted the seed for what would become his trademark.
"Whenever we travelled for tournaments, we'd get a bit of time to explore the city and do some shopping. I remember buying a pair of beautiful white boots during one of those trips,” the rugby great told Citizen Digital.
At the time, Shujaa were under the guidance of Ayimba, whose motivational approach left a lasting impression on the young winger.
When Ayimba saw the boots, he threw down a challenge that Injera would carry with him for the rest of his career.
"Ayimba looked at me and said, 'Anyone who wears white boots has to be a superstar. You can't wear white boots and be ordinary on the pitch,” he said.
Less than 24 hours after the tactician’s words, Injera scored his first try in the HSBC World Rugby 7s Series.
"I remember my first try for the Kenya Sevens very well. It came against New Zealand during the 2008 London Sevens. They had a very good winger, Afeleke Pelenise, and scoring that first try was a very special moment for me," Injera said.
The opportunity to prove his coach right came almost immediately.
"I started that match on the bench, but when I came on, I got the ball out on the wing and took off. All I could hear was Ayimba shouting at me to keep running.
I kept going and scored my first try. Afterwards, he told me that was the magic of wearing white boots,” he offered.
From that moment, Injera never looked back.
"From that day on, I always made sure I wore flashy boots. They've been my trademark ever since, and I'd say they've brought me a bit of luck too,” he averred.
Whether by superstition or confidence, the boots accompanied one of the most decorated careers in rugby sevens history.
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Widely regarded as one of the sport's all-time greats, Injera made his Kenya Simbas debut against Uganda in August 2006 before going on to feature in several 15s competitions, including the Rugby Africa Cup campaign in 2022.
His sevens career began in Hong Kong in March 2007 and lasted 15 remarkable years. During that period, he made 424 appearances on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, scoring 279 tries and accumulating 1,443 points.
His try tally remains the second-highest in Series history behind only England and Great Britain's Dan Norton.
Injera also featured in a record 83 World Series tournaments for Kenya, producing countless memorable moments throughout his career.
One of the most iconic came during the 2015 London Sevens at Twickenham when, after scoring his 200th World Series try, he celebrated by pulling a marker pen from his sock to sign the match ball and a television camera.
He represented Kenya at two Olympic Games and four Rugby World Cup Sevens tournaments, helping Shujaa reach the semi-finals of the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai after scoring five tries during the campaign.
That same year, Injera and his elder brother Humphrey Kayange were nominated for the World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year award, underlining Kenya's growing influence on the global stage.
Perhaps his finest achievement came in Singapore in 2016, when he and Kayange scored in Kenya's famous 30-7 victory over Fiji in the Cup final to deliver the country's first and, so far, only World Rugby Sevens Series title.
Injera brought the curtain down on his international career at the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town, leaving behind a legacy few players can match.
His achievements include becoming the World Series' all-time leading try scorer in 2016, Kenya Sevens' all-time leading points scorer, making five successive Rugby World Cup Sevens appearances, earning induction into the Rugby Town Walk of Fame, and receiving the Order of the Golden Warrior (OGW) alongside Humphrey Kayange for their outstanding contribution to Kenyan sport.