With so much promise, the Kenya Rugby Sevens team set off for a second Olympics appearance at the 2020 Tokyo meet.
Armed with experience and solid preparations, which included camps in and outside the country, the Shujaa were to be medal contenders.
With notable faces like veteran Collins Injera, Willy Ambaka and Jeffery Oluoch doting its rank and file, this team was meant to at least better their 15th finish in Rio four years back as a bare minimum.
But that was not to be, three matches pool matches down the line, and win-less, Shujaa’s Olympics dream is done and dusted.
The team lost to USA, South Africa and Ireland in quick succession, begging the question, what went wrong?
According to former rugby referee, Raymond Oruo, Shujaa is suffering transitional problems, “we’re taking too long to phase out the old guards.”
Read: Tokyo Olympics: South Africa Dim Shujaa’s Hopes
“The team needs a lot of changes, there’s need to inject fresh blood into the team,” Ray added.
As Rugby Sevens popularity continues to grow, so is competition. Teams Kenya used to beat with ease like USA have since morphed into formidable opposition, a clear indication of steady growth.
Kenya must thus wake up and realise the ground has shifted.
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