PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Rugby: Safaricom Safari Sevens kick off Friday in Kenya
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Kenya has been drawn in a seemingly easy pool in this year’s edition of the Rugby Safaricom Safari Sevens, which kick off Friday at the Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi.
Kenya, which is defending the title, have been pooled in group A with has Uganda, Rwanda and Grenoble.
A podium-finish or second would see them face either Emerging Boks, Bristol University Select, Mwamba or Auckland on the second day. Coach Mitch Ocholla was optimistic of a good outing.
“The pool stage is our starting block to our Safari 7s title defence and we will take it one game at a time. Mine is not to pre-plan but let things unfold. We also want to check on how the team systems will come out against any opposition and observe some of the new tendencies teams want to deploy in the IRB 7s circuit.
It is always good to have worthy opponents and have to respect all the 15 teams at the tournament.
"The players best will be definitely our best and will be behind them all the way,” Ocholla said.
“Key to Kenya’s good performance will be support by the home crowd and Ocholla urged fans to go to the Nyayo National Stadium in big numbers,” he said.
“This tournament on paper has bigger teams on the board, which makes it even more exciting. We look forward to a very eventful weekend as this will be our last stop until next year. From here henceforth, we target the world stage, where we intend to equally thrill the fans world over with the Kenyan brand of rugby.”
Three new teams are participating and they include Spain, New Zealand provincial side Auckland and Belmont Shore from the United States of America (USA).
The change in dates of the International Rugby Board (IRB) series will also serve as an adequate dress rehearsal for the host nation, Kenya, who are a core side of the HSBC Sevens World Series ahead of their campaign as they go in pursuit of greater glories on the international scene.
They will be able to gauge themselves against the caliber of opponents they are likely to face in the series, giving them an opportunity to raise their game, compete with the best and challenge for bigger titles.
Safari Sevens Draw:
Pool A-Kenya, Uganda, Grenoble and Rwanda
Pool B -Emerging Boks, Bristol, Auckland, Mwamba
Pool C-Samoa, Spain, Belmount Shore, Goshawks
Pool D-Zimbabwe, Samurai, British Army,Tanzania.
-0- PANA DJ/BOS 3Nov2011
Kenya, which is defending the title, have been pooled in group A with has Uganda, Rwanda and Grenoble.
A podium-finish or second would see them face either Emerging Boks, Bristol University Select, Mwamba or Auckland on the second day. Coach Mitch Ocholla was optimistic of a good outing.
“The pool stage is our starting block to our Safari 7s title defence and we will take it one game at a time. Mine is not to pre-plan but let things unfold. We also want to check on how the team systems will come out against any opposition and observe some of the new tendencies teams want to deploy in the IRB 7s circuit.
It is always good to have worthy opponents and have to respect all the 15 teams at the tournament.
"The players best will be definitely our best and will be behind them all the way,” Ocholla said.
“Key to Kenya’s good performance will be support by the home crowd and Ocholla urged fans to go to the Nyayo National Stadium in big numbers,” he said.
“This tournament on paper has bigger teams on the board, which makes it even more exciting. We look forward to a very eventful weekend as this will be our last stop until next year. From here henceforth, we target the world stage, where we intend to equally thrill the fans world over with the Kenyan brand of rugby.”
Three new teams are participating and they include Spain, New Zealand provincial side Auckland and Belmont Shore from the United States of America (USA).
The change in dates of the International Rugby Board (IRB) series will also serve as an adequate dress rehearsal for the host nation, Kenya, who are a core side of the HSBC Sevens World Series ahead of their campaign as they go in pursuit of greater glories on the international scene.
They will be able to gauge themselves against the caliber of opponents they are likely to face in the series, giving them an opportunity to raise their game, compete with the best and challenge for bigger titles.
Safari Sevens Draw:
Pool A-Kenya, Uganda, Grenoble and Rwanda
Pool B -Emerging Boks, Bristol, Auckland, Mwamba
Pool C-Samoa, Spain, Belmount Shore, Goshawks
Pool D-Zimbabwe, Samurai, British Army,Tanzania.
-0- PANA DJ/BOS 3Nov2011
