Kisia banking on Shujaa experience to lead Impala to glory

Kenya Sevens assistant coach Louis Kisia is not the same man who led Strathmore Leos to back-to-back third-place finishes in the National Sevens Circuit.

Since August 2023, when he was called up to serve as assistant coach for the Kenya Sevens, Kisia’s coaching journey has transformed, an experience he hopes to channel into elevating Impala RFC in their return to the National 7s Circuit.

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Shujaa had just been relegated from the HSBC World 7s Series for the first time in 23 years when Kisia and head coach Kevin Wambua took over.

The duo’s first task was to rally the squad for the Africa Men’s Sevens-cum-Olympic qualifiers, a task they accomplished in style as Shujaa stunned South Africa 17-12 to punch their ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics.

In June 2024, they followed it up with another historic feat, as Shujaa defeated Germany 33-15 to regain core status on the HSBC World Rugby 7s Series.

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“I have learned a lot, not just from international competition but from working with Kevin, our consultant Chris Brown, and Andrew Amonde. There is so much I did not know before,” he told Mozzart Sport.

It is that experience that Kisia is hoping to implement at Impala RFC as they make a comeback to the National 7s Circuit after two years in the cold.

The last time the Gazelles graced the circuit was in 2023, where they, for the first time, featured in the Division 1 category in the 2023 National Sevens Circuit after landing an invite to the Christie 7s tournament.

They ended that year’s circuit with only three points, one from the Christie 7s and two from the Kabeberi 7s.

“I am a different coach now. I look at things very differently, and I coach my rugby differently. I am deeply into analysis nowadays, something I picked up from Wambua. By the time we are heading into the last legs of the circuit, my team will do wonders,” he promised.

The development coach departed from Strathmore Leos in March 2024 and joined Impala in September, just in time for the Kenya Cup kickoff.

While it was not a dream season with Impala, at least they survived relegation. In a dramatic twist, Impala, who were relegated from the Kenya Cup three seasons ago on head-to-head record, survived relegation thanks to the very same rule.

Kisia’s previous success with Strathmore Leos, lifting the Embu 7s title twice and consistently challenging top clubs, speaks to his pedigree.

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He, however, insisted that what he has learned over the past year coaching Shujaa has made him more equipped than ever to lead a team to glory.

“There is a lot that was lacking before. Travelling, working closely with elite coaches, and being exposed to high-performance environments changed my perspective,” he said.

Now armed with international experience and renewed tactical insight, Kisia is determined to turn Impala into a serious contender for the 2025 National 7s Circuit crown.

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