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Kenya's captain demands Sevens team to improve in Cape Town

Xinhua, December 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

Kenya's team must grow some steel in the team ahead of the second leg of the World Rugby Series in Cape Town, South Africa on Dec. 10-11, team captain Andrew Amonde said on Monday.

Amonde said they still need to polish up their endurance if they are to progress to the main cup after a poor show in the opening round in Dubai last weekend.

"It is true our reading of the game is not right. We need to strengthen up and mental be stronger. It is what is lacking in the team because in regards to form, we are doing well," he said.

The team will arrive in Cape Town on Thursday ahead of their match on Saturday and Sunday. However, there are concerns over the omission of some experienced players over demands for allowances and bonuses.

"We take a lot of lessons from Dubai leg. That's what we have learned from the games we lost and won," he stated.

Kenya head coach Innocent Simiyu registered his first win of the series in Dubai against Japan beating them 17-7, but lost out to Australia and France to miss out on the Main Cup.

Simiyu must now prepare his charges heading to South Africa for the Cape Town sevens next weekend hopeful of picking crucial points that could propel them up the table rankings. Kenya picked five points from Dubai to be placed 12th on the leaderboard ahead of fellow continental minnows Uganda.

Ahead of the Cape Town Sevens, Kenya has been drawn in Pool B that also has Japan, France and Dubai finalists Fiji. Fiji lost to South Africa in the finals of the Dubai outing last weekend and are placed second with 19 points behind leaders South Africa.

Uganda head coach Tolbert Onyango says his side are in good spirits and full of confidence after wins in the final of the Rugby Africa Sevens in September and the good run they had in Dubai.

"The sky is the limit now. We are aware that we shall meet teams that have been in the series for over 10 years and that it's a different ball game for the players, but they will give it their best shot. By playing these more experienced teams it will help us assess at what stage Uganda is at compared to the best in the world," said the coach. Endit