Kenya Men’s Sevens Head Coach Damian McGrath has made two changes as the team heads to Los Angeles for the World Series season ender in Los Angeles on 27-28 August.
Jeff Oluoch and Samuel Oliech return to the Shujaa squad, replacing Levi Amunga and Herman Humwa who were part of the squad’s last outing – the Commonwealth Games Rugby Sevens competition in Birmingham three weeks ago.
“The side for L.A was selected mainly on the contracted players, I’ve made two changes from the Commonwealth Games team simply to have a look at other players, so Sammy Oliech and Jeff Oluoch will come in. It’s not a reflection on the guys who have been left out…it’s just a chance for me to look at them because we are looking to change the senior squad group to bring in some younger players from the National Sevens Circuit,” McGrath told KRU Media.
Shujaa are in Pool D and being their campaign in North America against Samoa on Saturday 27 August at 8.26pm EAT.
This will be followed by a fixture against England at 11.10pm the same day before rounding off pool play against Scotland at 2.21am on Sunday morning.
Sharing his thoughts on the fixtures, McGrath said, “We are in a fairly tough pool in L.A, Samoa are the leading team in our group. They’ve been playing very very well this year…been based in Dubai since Christmas training, playing and preparing as a team…so they’ll offer a tough assignment for the first game. We then play England and Scotland who despite having a young team always have a wide pool of players to choose from, so they’ll offer a different challenge. Scotland beat us narrowly in the Commonwealth Games and whist we are not going there expecting to turn everybody over, we are very confident that we can put in some good performances.”
Shujaa squad for Los Angeles
Nelson Oyoo (Nakuru, captain), Daniel Taabu (Mwamba), Bush Mwale(Homeboyz), Alvin Otieno(KCB), Vincent Onyala(KCB), Billy Odhiambo(Mwamba), Jeff Oluoch(Homeboyz), Anthony Omondi(Mwamba), Samuel Oliech(Impala Saracens), Johnstone Olindi(KCB), Edmund Anya(Impala Saracens), William Ambaka(Narvskaya Zastava), Kevin Wekesa (Kabras Sugar)
Shujaa Schedule in Los Angeles
All times EAT
Saturday 27 August 2022
Kenya v Samoa,8.26pm
Kenya v England,11.10pm
Sunday 28 August
Kenya v Scotland,2.21am
