Kenya look raise the bar after Hamilton Sevens success

By John Kwoba

NAIROBI, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's rugby team head coach Innocent Simiyu remains hopeful his side will improve to reach the top six in the standings after the fifth stop in the HSBC Sevens World Series in Las Vegas in March.

Kenya will have to dig deeper if they are to overcome Fiji, who were the winners in Hamilton. Kenya reached their third Cup quarterfinal in Hamilton last week but lost to Sydney Sevens champions Australia before dropping to sixth place.

Kenya collected 12 points at this event. It was Kenya's best showing so far this season after they finished seventh in Dubai, 13th in Cape Town and seventh again in Sydney.

"We are improving by the day," Simiyu said. "The target is to reach the 100-point mark at the end of the season and now we have 35. We will get there if we are consistent in Las Vegas," he said.

In Pool B South Africa, runners-up in the last two tournaments in Sydney and Hamilton, will play England, Canada and Wales. Australia, winners of the Sydney Sevens and bronze final in Hamilton, are drawn in Pool C with the improving Samoa, USA and Spain.

New Zealand will face Scotland, Argentina and the invitational team Uruguay in Pool D.

The next stop in the HSBC World Sevens Series will take place in Las Vegas from March 3-5.

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