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With the London Sevens fast approaching, UR7s goes behind the scenes with Kenya one of the form teams heading to Twickenham.

Robin Heymann

A few weeks back in the immediate aftermath of yet another strength sapping but unforgettable Hong Kong Sevens, this reporter had the pleasure of spending some time with the Kenyan team. The characteristics that they often emit on their IRB Sevens fields of dreams were very much in evidence that night. A team full of confidence, enthusiasm, and honesty. What’s more an endearing smile seems permanently wrapped around their faces whilst carrying off the ‘Yes We Can’ attitude that their country’s rugby fans have adopted from a certain President Obama.

What struck me as I followed the entourage in Wan Chai were the comments filtering through from the multitudes of fans offering them their congratulations. ‘I can’t believe you guys beat New Zealand today, that’s incredible!’, ‘We didn’t even know you guys played serious sevens’, to the most common and perhaps overused cliché allied to this group: ‘You boys really are a breath of fresh air!’

It would be harsh to label this as naivety, for many of the fans had never seen the Africans play in the flesh before, but the Kenya 7s evolution has been a work-in-progress for a while now. It seems an eternity ago, on another mad cap evening in Hong Kong, when the Kenyans promptly upset the applecart in taking down Australia, in what many described at the time as one of the biggest upsets seen at So Kon Poh. Since then the big scalps have continued to be taken down in dribs and drabs but it’s been this season where the major progress has been made.

Consistency has been fashioned; they now have the ability to win games ‘ugly’, a pre-requisite in what’s always a demanding series. The 58 points they garnered from this current campaign (with two tournaments still outstanding) dwarfs their previous best of 38 in 07/08 and 22 in 08/09.

‘Over time we’ve made sure the guys have the belief and mindset that they can compete at this level and a mindset they are not just there to participate but to actually win tournaments’, says Kenyan Coach Benjamin Ayimba.

The last two tournaments have spotlighted the best of the Kenyans, reaching the last four in Hong Kong, once again beating the Kiwis, and going one better in Adelaide the following week by reaching their first IRB final only to be denied by a rampant Boks 26-7.

‘Getting to the final was definitely one of our ultimate goals for this season and it’s great we’ve achieved that’ added Ayimba.

Their progression has been aided by the two brothers, Collins Injera and captain Humphrey Kayanage, who have stoutly become the side’s major backbone. Injera is currently the leading try scorer with 30 touchdowns to his name while Kayange's leadership has been exemplary. Sidney Ashioya, Lavin Asego, Victor Oduor have also had their moments, helping build a stiff resolve amongst the squad.

‘This is only Collins Injera’s third season and he has developed the most, now finding himself the top scorer this year, which really is quite an achievement indeed.

‘Having that continuity of selection has been a big advantage for us this season, because in the past we haven’t always had access to players with them having to sit exams or employers not releasing them, of course there is still the odd person who hasn’t been able to make it but the majority are now available’, added the coach.

Exams and employers I hear you cry? Why yes, for Kenyan Rugby is not professional yet. In fact they are not even semi-professional, with all the squad either studying or working in time constraining jobs in the banking and legal worlds. Within the camp there is definitely a feeling that there is some scope to increase funding from the likes of the Kenyan Rugby Union (KRFU). The team is often heralded as a shining light in a country beset with political struggles, with the team often consisting of players from a raft different tribes coming together as one. With further funding the players could make the next step of becoming semi-pro, giving them and the coaching staff some much required breathing room.

From a financial point of view an added coup that has gone their way was the drafting of a big global sponsor in the shape of Virgin Atlantic, explains Toby Gregory who oversees the team's Marketing and PR.

‘With stable funding the KRFU was able to plan ahead knowing that money was coming in. Also with 99% of the players being in full time work, having funding allowed them to take lots of time off work without being hit in the pocket financially. Virgin were also able to help provide publicity which helped draw more attention to the team. Richard Branson actually travelled to Nairobi and met the players, taking a press group of around 26 with him.’ said Gregory.

That Mr. Branson also reportedly gave a promise of a holiday on his private paradise of Necker Island to the Kenyans if they had won the World Cup in Dubai. Alas it wasn’t quite to be, after a superbly mature win over Fiji in the Quarter-Finals they were undone by the Pumas in the last four. Yet perhaps the major difference of having more funding to play with is the added little nuances that a top level international 7s requires with the margins often so small. This includes bringing in extra support from specialised technical coaches and seeking out every ounce of potential performance from the squad.

‘Virgin provided flights for the sprint coaches, and also nutritionists amongst others to fly with the team. It also allowed the coaches to take younger players who may not have made the squad but gave them a chance to experience the atmosphere of being in front of crowds like Hong Kong’, added Gregory.

Compared to the Kenyan 15s set up, the 7s team is relatively lucky. Despite there being an established fifteen-a-side league, the major stumbling block is that commercially they are not on the same path that Sevens is finding itself on, making the shortened game even more potentially attractive in the country.

Gregory and Ayimba are convinced that with Olympic inclusion on the potential horizon there is an avenue for Kenyan Sevens to get their wish of further revenue, such is the power that a Gold Medal wields in the country.

‘Given Kenya’s proud past with long distance runners, the Olympics is seen by many in Kenya as the pinnacle of sports. By 7s getting included in the Olympics, it would help attract more funding towards the sport in Kenya – particularly from a governmental level as it offers Kenya a genuine opportunity to get another medal’ said Gregory.

'The Olympics would provide another medal hope, it’s the ultimate sporting event for us and we were want to be part of it, it’s just a shame it missed out being here in London for 2012,’ echoed Ayimba.

The country’s own national sevens circuit is another raison d'être for Kenya’s development. Introduced in 1998 together with a schools sevens championships it has resulted in a steady production line of talented players meaning the future is set to be rosy. Ayimba points out that he has his eyes on some talented youngsters back home and amongst his current squad Horace Otieno and centre Biko Adema are set to become his major protagonists in the near future, yet if truth be told the majority of this current squad have youth on their side.

So with Twickenham fast approaching and the Africans finding themselves plumped in a tight Pool consisting of Scotland, Fiji, and the USA, Aiymba’s squad will again be relying on their fanatical supporters to provide the role of the unofficial 8th man. With the added bonus of the Kenyan diaspora, meaning there is heavy support at most the IRB venues, a huge party scene has been paved away – dubbed the ‘After 7s’ – now regularly providing entertainment in the build up, during, and after each tournament! Yet it seems it’s not just their own country men and women who have a soft spot for them, for they often pull on the heart strings of the neutral.

‘Perhaps it’s because we don’t take what we do on the field as life and death. We are definitely passionate about our rugby, but we also want to enjoy the experience. For us it’s just a game and another way of life’, explains Ayimba.

It’s almost a shame to tarnish this joie de vivre that the Kenyans seem to possess as amateurs by slapping professional handcuffs on them. But that could well be the reality in the future with further IRB success, a growing 15s market, and the rewards that Sevens’ Olympic inclusion are likely to bring. Playing the underdog tag is a thing of the past for this lot – can they step up and maintain their position in the upper echelons of the IRB standings in years to come? Yes they can.