Kenya set sights on Rugby World Cup Sevens

NAIROBI, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's sevens team hopes their strong run of form in the World Series will spill over to the Rugby World Cup Sevens, which will be held in July in San Francisco, USA.

Head coach Innocent Simiyu says the team has shown consistency despite spirited challenges from powerhouse teams like Australia, Fiji and New Zealand.

"We have time to recondition and recover after the tough April schedule. But we cannot forget we have the World Cup on the horizon and we want to build a strong team that will push for medals," the coach told reporters in Nairobi on Wednesday.

Kenya, runners-up in the recent Hong Kong and Vancouver legs of the World Sevens Series, start off their title hunt against Tonga in the first game of the preliminary round.

The competition, which features the world's top 24 men's and 16 women's teams will force each side to win every match in order to be crowned World Cup winners.

"The team has done well so far and it remains within the target to hit 100 points. But that should point to another target, which is to win the World Cup. We have shown that we can do it in the World Series," the coach added.

Top seeds and reigning World Cup champions New Zealand, who will enter the competition high on confidence following their recent gold medal performance at the Commonwealth Games, will face Mexico in the round of 16.

Olympic champions and current World Rugby Women's Sevens Series leaders Australia, will take on Papua New Guinea while hosts USA will wrap up the round of 16 action against China, who are an emerging force in the game following their victory in the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series Qualifier at the Hong Kong Sevens in April. Enditem