Kenya ready to conquer the world
By Rob Phillips-Knight
From Dubai
Kenya coach Benjamin Ayimba believes that his ever improving team are genuine contenders to win Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 and has even gone as far as to predict that they will beat England in the Melrose Cup final on Saturday.
The Kenyans have been in impressive form throughout this season’s IRB Sevens World Series, claiming the scalps of Argentina, South Africa and New Zealand, and Ayimba sees this as evidence of his team’s ability.
“We actually think we can win it,” revealed Ayimba.
“It was laughable two years back but now everyone sees us seriously as a good side and recognise the seriousness with which we approach every game that we play, but we are very much looking to win the tournament.
“I think we will face England, because even if we do beat them in the group stages I don’t think they will miss out on the main Cup. I think they have really improved and they have all the players that they need.
“South Africa are missing a couple of guys, New Zealand are missing a couple of guys and England have been very consistent in terms of the players they use and Ben Ryan is a very good coach as well.”
Consistency
Ayimba feels that his side’s improved consistency is the main reason for their current form, but believes that the improvisational nature of some of his players is what can guide them to World Cup glory.
“The reason for our improvement is our consistency in terms of the players, and the management have done very well in trying to ensure that everything that we have done has been consistently rising, as opposed to having breaks, even with the difficulty of not having the same players around all the time.
“To be honest the starting seven are the kind of guys who will surprise even the coach. They will do everything that they have been told but sometimes they pull something out of the bag that you did really not expect and that’s what brings excitement.
“That is the reason why we have been winning games, not because of what I have insisted on but what they have brought out which was unexpected of them, both from me and the opposition.”
However despite his evident confidence in the potential of his squad, Ayimba does not think that opposing teams actually fear Kenya.
“I don’t think teams fear us now. Maybe they just feel that there is another kid on the block who is a nuisance to them and who really wants to stamp authority on them and therefore go all the way to the final.”
All-African affair
Kenya face African rivals Tunisia in their first Pool game and Ayimba is sure the North Africans will come out all guns blazing against a side they lost to 22-12 in the RWC Sevens qualifier semi finals last November.
“Tunisia will definitely bring all the fire they have just because they will want to have the authority in Africa and that becomes a very tricky game for us and so we will have to play like we are playing in the final itself.”
Kenya captain Humphrey Kayange is also wary of facing a hungry Tunisian side and feels that they will raise their game for the World Cup.
“That will be a very hard game for us," said Kayange.
"We played them earlier in the qualifiers and we won, but this is a World Cup so it will be a different story and being African teams it will be a hard game for us and for them too.
"So we are not looking at that game very easily and we are treating it with the same concentration and in the same way as we will treat our last one with England."
Kayange is however less bullish about his side’s chances of lifting the Melrose Cup.
“Basically we want to qualify for the next World Cup so our first target is the (Cup) quarter final, which will mean winning all our games, and then we will pick it up from there and hopefully go all out for the Cup.”
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