Kenya Sevens assistant coach Louis Kisia is bullish about Shujaa’s chances in the Dubai Sevens later this month.
Shujaa has been pitted against Olympic champions France, Australia and South Africa in Pool A of the Dubai Sevens tournament from November 30 to December 1.
“It’s tough pool but I believe the boys are well prepared for the rigours of the Seven Series. We played Australia in the Olympics in Paris in July so we know what to expect from them. South Africa will be an African derby and we know they are a quality side," Kisia said.
"I believe we will be competitive against them. Against France, it will be a tough encounter but the boys are up to the challenge."
Series champions Argentina have a date with Ireland, Great Britain and Uruguay in Pool ‘B’.
Two-time Olympic champions Fiji face New Zealand, the USA, and Spain in Pool ‘C’.
Kisia said they are targeting 13 points from every leg of the World Seven Series, which equates to a top-five place which is an ambitious target, according to the coach.
“I believe we can achieve those targets in the first two tournaments considering this is a young vibrant squad. We have the momentum after dominating Safari Sevens,” Kisia said.
Despite the standoff with senior players over contracts, Kisia said the team is in good shape for the start of the series with the first event in Dubai followed by the second tournament in Cape Town a week later.
“Issues to do with contracts are personal but the boys have been coming to training and are putting their hand up. We have a squad of 24 players to choose from and we expect to send a formidable team to Dubai,” Kisia said.
Kisia said the Shujaa co-captain Vincent Onyala is a doubt for the season opener due to a recurrence of a knee injury.
“He has been training on his own but it looks like he may miss the event or be there. We will see,” he said.
According to Kisia, John Okoth and Brian Tanga have started their rehabilitation after suffering shine bone and wrist injuries but will most likely resume play in the new year.
The coach said the final
13-man squad for the tournament
opener will be named on November
22 with the team departing two days
later to Dubai.
