Kenya 7s head coach, Kevin Wambua, has finalized his squad for the upcoming second round of the Challenger Series to be held in Montevideo, Uruguay from March 8-10.
Notable absentees from the squad have paved the way for new inclusions, with Lameck Ambetsa, Chrissant Ojwang, and Elvis Olukusi making the cut.
Kenya 7s unavailability
The team will be without Patrick Odongo, who topped the scoring charts with 11 tries in Dubai, as he is recovering from an injury.
Kenya 7s player Patrick Odongo scorers. PHOTO /Mike Lee/ for World Rugby
Additionally, Brian Tanga is recuperating from illness, while Festus Shiasi, William Mwanji, and Brian Mutugi are not part of the traveling team.
Returning to the squad are Dennis Abukuse and Ben Salem, who last featured for the team in the 2023 World 7s Series.
Vincent Onyala and Tony Omondi retain their roles as co-captains, while Kevin Wekesa, John Okoth, George Ooro, Nygel Amaista, and Samuel Asati also maintain their positions.
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In Pool A, Kenya 7s will face Tonga, Georgia, and Portugal, while Pool B features finalists Chile, competing against Hong Kong and Mexico. Pool C comprises Uruguay, Germany, Uganda, and Papua Guinea.
Kenya 7s lead the competition standings after their impressive performance in Dubai, winning five out of six matches. They secured victory in the Challenger Series opener by defeating Chile 12-5 in the final, with Patrick Odongo’s two crucial tries playing a significant role.
kenya 7s lead
With 20 points, Kenya 7s maintain a two-point lead over Chile in the standings, while Uruguay and Germany occupy the third and fourth spots, respectively.
Kenya 7s captain Vincent Onyala races on for a try. PHOTO/Mike Lee for World Rugby.
Introduced in February 2020, the Challenger Series aims to promote the global development of rugby sevens and establish a clear pathway to the top tier of global rugby sevens. The top four men’s and women’s teams in the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024 will have the opportunity to participate in a promotion and relegation play-off competition at the SVNS Grand Final in Madrid from May 31 to June 2, 2024, competing against teams ranked ninth to 12th from HSBC SVNS 2024.
Kenya 7s squad to Uruguay
- Vincent Onyala
- Tony Omondi
- Kevin Wekesa
- John Okoth
- Dennis Abukuse
- George Ooro
- Nigel Amaitsa
- Samuel Asati
- Ben Salem
- Chrisant Owang
- Lamec Ambetsa
- Elvis Olukusi
Bold denotes debutantes.
