Shujaa set to hit camp on Monday as Commonwealth Games preparations commence

The men’s national rugby 7s side, Shujaa, are set to commence their residential training on Monday 13 June 2022 at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani where the team will kickstart their preparations for the 2022 Commonwealth Games scheduled to take place in Birmingham, England from 28 July to 8 August.

In a busy season for the 7s side, newly appointed head coach Damian McGrath will be hoping to instill his philosophy into the team as he aims to restore Shujaa’s mojo and long lost confidence after a series of poor results in the 2021/2022 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series Circuit which has left the team in the relegation threatened 13th position on 38 points.

McGrath had taken over from the fired Innocent ‘Namcos’ Simiyu towards the end of May and oversaw the team immediately in Toulouse and London.

“We will start our camp on Monday at Kasarani and I am excited about it. That will be where we prepare for the Commonwealth Games and for the rest of our season,” McGrath said.

Team manager Eric Ogweno, who said the camp will run for five weeks before the team departs, revealed the camp will give McGrath an opportunity to polish up the weakness in the team as well as look at the combinations heading into the two major upcoming championships for Shujaa.

“The coach has been here for a short period and this camp will, no doubt, give him an opportunity to be with the players for a longer period. This will ensure we are in good condition by the time we leave,” Ogweno told the Star.

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After the Commonwealth Games, the team will break and resume training for the Los Angeles Sevens in late August and the Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament in Cape Town, South Africa in September.

A lucky Shujaa just managed to qualify for the World Cup games after finishing third in the 2021 Rugby Africa 7s tournament held in Kampala, Uganda.

Shujaa have had a disappointing season at the World Sevens Series, languishing in 12th place on the log with 37 points. Out of eight tournaments, Shujaa have only made it to the Main Cup quarters twice. Ogweno expressed confidence that there will be an improvement in results even as he called for patience.