Shujaa's 25 man training squad to be made after National Sevens Circuit
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Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 23.08.24. | 15:32
According to Khisia, the players will be in the Shujaa 25-man training squad for the upcoming 2025 World Rugby SVNS Series
Kenya Sevens assistant coach, Louis Khisia, has named some of the youngsters igniting the 2024 National Sevens Circuit.
According to Khisia, the players will be in the Shujaa 25-man training squad for the upcoming 2025 World Rugby SVSN Series.
Speaking to Mozzart Sport, Khisia noted that players like Amon Wamalwa, Lucky Dewald (Quins), Jackson Siketa (Kabras), Javan Otieno (Nakuru), and Beldad Ogeta (Menengai Oilers), among others, have been in commendable form.
Siketa, for instance, was part of the Chipu team in Scotland for the World Rugby U20 Trophy.
His impact on the Kabras senior team was immediately felt as he scored a hat-trick to see the Sugarmen clinch their maiden Dala 7s title.
Dewald was also in a class of his own when he scored the winning try for Kenya Harlequin to propel them to victory at the Kakamega Ingo 7s. Ogeta, too, was instrumental when the Oilers reached the Dala 7s final.
Wamalwa had a six-month stint at the Rhinos High-Performance Training Camp in South Africa, where he honed his skills.
He is fondly remembered for helping Kenya qualify for the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens.
The former Strathmore Leos tactician was pleased with the high level of competition on the circuit, noting that it spelt greatness for the national team.
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Teams like the Catholic University of East Africa (CUEA) Monks and Kabete Stallions have been in impeccable form.
‘It's been good so far. We have new talent emerging, and we expect more players to put their hands up in the course of the next three legs,” he offered.
Drawing valuable lessons from the Paris Olympics, Khisia has sharpened his approach to player selection, knowing exactly what to seek in his squad to excel globally.
“Looking ahead, our forwards need to have that height and bulk. From the experience we had in the Olympics.
A case in point was the match against Argentina and Australia, who had multifaceted forwards who could win the kickoff reception as well as doing their core roles,” he explained.
According to the tactician, Kenya boasts a wealth of rugby talent, but the World Rugby SVNS Series is a fiercely competitive and unforgiving arena where only the best survive.
He noted that for Kenya to succeed on the global stage, the players had to possess the physical and mental conditioning to keep up with the demands of the game.
“As a country, we may have the talent, but the World Rugby SVSN Series stage is very unforgiving, and players called up have to be physically and mentally ready for the tough challenge that awaits them.
The entire experience has given us insights and areas where we need to improve as a team, from the facets of the game to strength and conditioning. Agility and endurance are what our players need at the highest level,” he averred.
Morans finished sixth in the Africa Men’s 7s in Mauritius, and the tactician emphasized depth to create a crop of players who are ready to take up the competitive edge of the national team.
“It's long overdue, and we need to create depth for our second team. We can't send them to play a tournament after one week of training and expect good results,” he concluded.
Shujaa will make their highly anticipated return to the World Rugby SVNS Series in November with the Emirates Dubai Sevens from Saturday, November 30, to Sunday, December 1, at The Sevens Stadium.
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