No change of guard at women’s 7s side
Kenya Rugby Union chairman Mwangi Muthee has quelled rumours linking the women’s national 7s team with a South African coach, stating that they have faith in Kevin Wambua.
Speaking after Kenya Lionesses’ 0-15 loss to South Africa in the CAR Women’s Africa Cup 7s in Machakos, Muthee said the union has faith in Wambua’s work, as he has had a massive impact on the team.
“There is more than enough coaching talent in Kenya, and Wambua is the best option for the team. He has made a massive impact to the team and the results speak for themselves,” said Muthee.
Wambua has been at the helm of the team since 2012, and is also the Daystar University rugby team coach, who shocked many when they qualified for the Dala and Prinsloo Sevens main cup quarterfinals last year.
Philosophy
Muthee added that the KRU has embarked on a mission to ensure that all national teams adopt the same philosophy.
“We have already started that and it was evident today as the women played exactly as the men’s team does. Kenya 7s head coach Paul Treu has been holding clinics with the other national teams and their coaches. Whether it is the women, men or age-grade teams, we want to see them adopt the same philosophy,” added Muthee.
The national women’s 7s team on many occasions opted to play the ball on the short side, using their bigger players to carry the ball to set a platform for the faster ones to run freely, something that has been a key characteristic of the men’s team in the IRB World Sevens Series.
The KRU is seeking to have the women’s national sevens team included in the IRB Women’s World Sevens Series, something that has hastened their plans to set up a women’s league.