Off the wire
• Weather information for Asia-Pacific cities  • 3 injured in car bombing near Afghan capital  • 2nd LD: Egyptian cabinet resigns, former petroleum minister to form new gov't  • 2 Indians killed, 15 injured in mosque disaster in Saudi Arabia  • Jeremy Corbyn elected Britain's opposition Labour party leader  • Interview: Oscar nominated Canadian director shows story on remembrance  • (Sports)China rock Iran 3-0 at Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship  • Number of season ticket holders in Spain rises for 2015/6 season  • Public security ministry honors Tianjin firefighters  • 2nd LD: Death toll in India's building blast rises to 90  
You are here: 　 Home

Kenya's rugby team appoints new head coach

Xinhua, September 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) has confirmed the appointment of Benjamin Ayimba as head coach of the Kenya Sevens team.

Ayimba takes over the role from immediate former head coach Felix Ochieng who handled the team during the 2014/15 season.

However, of immediate concern to Ayimba, who first served as Kenya coach between 2006 and 2011, will be to guide his team through Africa qualifiers for the Olympic Games, where the sport is to make its debut in Rio next year.

Kenya missed the direct ticket to the Olympics last season when it failed to finish in the first four places of the International Rugby Union (IRB) World Series. And Ayimba, 38, is now tasked with the onus to see the country make the cut through the Africa qualification campaign to secure ticket to Brazil.

"I have knowledge of exactly what I am getting myself into. It is challenging because I know there is a lot of expectations from Kenyans, but I want to develop this team and get back on track. I am happy to be back and our main focus will be to qualify for the Olympics," Ayimba said on Saturday in Nairobi.

KRU received 13 applications, four of them from foreign coaches interested to guide the Kenya team. But it was Ayimba that the union settled on.

Since his departure in 2011, there have been four coaches at the stead including Mitch Ocholla (2011-2012), Englishman Mike Friday (2012-2013), South African Paul Treu (2013-2014) and Ayimba' s understudy Felix Ochieng (2014-2015).

Ayimba's best season with the Kenya team was in 2009 when led Shujaa to their first ever World Series cup final at Adelaide in 2009, as well as to the semifinal of the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai.

Ayimba will plunge to the deep end as he only has one week to prepare the team for the season opener tournament, the Safaricom Sevens. Kenya lost out to Welsh Warriors in last year's finals in Nairobi.

This year's tournament has attracted 16 teams including giants Canada, Argentina, Spain, Portugal and Zimbabwe.

"I know the Safari Sevens is just two weeks away and we will use it as part of our training for Olympics. We will start training early next week," said Ayimba. Enditem