Five Kenya Sevens stars have joined Samurai international select squad to contest the European Rugby Sevens champions trophy at a time when Shujaa is fighting for its life in the final two rounds of the season in London and Paris.
In what is increasingly becoming a sad case of players opting out of the national team duties to focus on lucrative club assignments, Kabras winger Felix Ayange, Nakuru forward Oscar Ouma and Mwamba trio Collins Injera, Billy Odhiambo and Michael Agevi have joined Samurai Rugby Sevens for the champions trophy that will take place in Saint Petersburg, Russia on May 25-26 which will run concurrently with the London Sevens.
With Shujaa in danger of relegation, having collected just 26 points from eight of the 10 legs, to stay in a disappointing 13th place on the 20-team log, one point ahead of Wales and four adrift of Japan who must not overtake them if they want to retain their core status, it was hoped that the superstars would join the squad for the London and Paris legs to help save the situation but that was not to be.
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To make matters worse, Shujaa speedster and former captain Eden Agero turned his back on the national team at a crucial time when he failed to show up at JKIA as the team was leaving for London on Monday, leaving coach Paul Murunga one player less ahead of the crucial assignments.
The stars have been on a go-slow since the start of the 2018/19 season following a contract dispute with Kenya Rugby Union and while they have been away, Murunga was forced to rely on novices who have turned out to be whipping boys, leaving Kenya in dire straits.
Big names return
There seemed to be a truce ahead of the Hong Kong and Singapore legs last month when it was reported that the big names had agreed to return but only former captain Andrew Amonde, Daniel Sikuta, Bush Mwale, Nelson Oyoo, Jeff Oluoch and Jacob Ojee came back. That still did not yield much as the squad only managed eight points from Hong Kong and Singapore.
In Saint Petersburg, Samurai, who are in Pool C, will take on Lithuania’s Baltrex-Šiauliai, Switzerland’s Grasshopper and Latvia-based Miesnieki with Mwamba team manager Fahad Ali managing the team alongside head coach Nick Wakley, director of rugby Terry Sands and Kai Adams (physio). Kabras Sugar halfback Logan Basson, a South African, has also joined the team.
