World Cup Repechage Guide – Kenya

Kenya enter the competition ranked 28th in the world, ahead of Germany by the slimmest of margins. They qualified for the Repechage by finishing second in the Rugby Africa Gold Cup. The Simbas have never before qualified for a Rugby World Cup with their greatest success coming on the HSBC Sevens Series.

Crowd favorites, their all-attack style suits a speedy backline and a forward pack full of big athletes who can offload. There are questions surrounding their set piece and defense. Romania took them apart in the scrum and though they have the tallest timber in the lineout their technical application has left much to be desired.

Off-field distractions have also been prevalent of late, with a lack of government support creating unrest among the players and coaching staff. Kenya’s preparations were then hit with three game cancellations, leaving them with only one warm-up match.

 

RECENT FORM

This year has been kind to the Simbas, with five wins in a row coming before their defeat to Namibia in the Gold Cup decider. It must be acknowledged that their opposition was not massively challenging, however. Their most impressive win over the past three years was against Hong Kong in August 2016, but their best result in the three matches against the Dragons since was a 19-all draw last August.

 

HISTORICAL RESULTS

vs Canada – 0 games

vs Hong Kong – 5 games, 1 win, 3 losses, 1 draw
2017-11-18 – Hong Kong 40-30 Kenya – Hong Kong
2017-08-26 – Kenya 34-43 Hong Kong – Nairobi
2017-08-20 – Kenya 19-19 Hong Kong – Nairobi
2016-08-27 – Kenya 34-10 Hong Kong – Nairobi
2011-12-13 – Hong Kong 44-17 Kenya – Dubai

vs Germany – 1 game, 1 loss
2017-05-27 – Kenya 29-30 Germany – Nairobi

 

COACHES

Ian Snook is a unique coaching choice compared to the other teams – he had a distinguished cricket career, even playing against the legendary Ian Botham – before turning to rugby coaching. The 68-year-old New Zealander has since coached Manawatu, Japanese club Toyota Shokki, and Taranaki. He took over from Jerome Paarswater in March and has led the team to wins in five of their last six tests.

The chief lieutenant is Murray Roulston, another with an extensive coaching record in New Zealand. His resume highlights roles with Otago and two Super Rugby sides, the Highlanders and Hurricanes. He also has an Americas link having served as a technical advisor to Trinidad & Tobago.

 

CAPTAIN

Taking over the role this year from Wilson Kopondo is hard-running loose forward Davis Change. He prefers to be a ball carrier at No8 but looks set for a blindside flanker role with the Simbas in the Repechage. Chenge, 26, is a good athlete who has also represented his country at sevens. He inspires the team by action rather than rhetoric.

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Not just the former captain, Wilson Kopondo is also the best lock in the team. A physical specimen with a huge wingspan, he is a primary lineout target with the speed of a back. Elkeans Musonye is a relative newcomer in the back row. The openside flanker is quick and deceivingly powerful. There is no such deception with Josh Chisanga, a former Newcastle Falcon and a fearsome sight with ball in hand. His return to the squad has pushed Chenge from No8 to the side of the scrum.

The danger man before anyone else gets the ball is explosive scrumhalf Samson Onsomu. A simple style comparison would be Canadian counterpart Phil Mack. Utility back Darwin Mukidza is one of the most experienced players in the team and the first choice goal kicker. He is set to play inside center with Samuel Oliech likely to play flyhalf. An obvious choice out wide is sevens star Willy Ambaka. His combination of size and speed makes him a lethal finisher.

 

WHO’S MISSING

This group conjures debate over selection more so than any other side. Among the most notable absentees are regular hooker Peter Karia, stocky and experienced, who has given way to the more mobile Colman Were. Second row Andrew Chogo was a potential starter who is injured. Big tighthead prop Curtis Lilako was dropped following the Africa Cup.

First choice flyhalf Isaac Adimo was another left out in September, while long-time midfielder David Ambunya has been ignored completely by the new selectors. Jacob Ojee and Vincent Mose were veteran options out wide deemed unnecessary, while former sevens playmaker Biko Adema also failed to make the grade.

 

VERDICT

On paper Kenya are the team with the biggest holes. They are the least experienced, a high turnover in personnel, and are very much amateur compared to the rest. Their preparation has been truncated and disrupted, and there are a number of contentious selections.

If the Simbas are to challenge they will have to show marked improvement in set piece accuracy and, quite simply, play spin-to-win. When they have quick ball and space to work with they can score tries in bunches. Preventing them at the other end of the park is another story.

Prediction: 4th

 

FIXTURES

DATE	LOCAL	ET	PT	OPPONENT
Sun, Nov 11	13:00	07:00	04:00	Canada
Sat, Nov 17	13:00	07:00	04:00	Hong Kong
Fri, Nov 23	18:00	12:00	09:00	Germany

 

SQUAD

NAME

POS

HGT

WGT

DOB

CAPS

CLUB

Amusala, Moses	LH	1.80 5-11	120 265	Dec 4 1983	33	KCB
Oduor, Ephraim	LH/TH	1.87 6-2	112 245	Jan 7 1997	–	Kabras
Ouko, Patrick	LH	1.80 5-11	125 275	Apr 9 1991	6	Homeboyz

Ikambili, Philip	HO	1.83 6-0	98 215	Jan 4 1995	13	Homeboyz
Were, Colman	HO	1.79 5-10	100 220	May 5 1992	5	Kabras

Mwanjilwa, Hillary	TH	1.78 5-10	121 265	Sep 17 1985	2	Kabras
Odero, Joseph	TH	1.83 6-0	115 255	Jan 17 1991	6	Kabras

Kopondo, Wilson	LO	1.96 6-5	108 240	Dec 26 1985	31	Harlequin
Mang’eni, Oliver	LO	1.98 6-6	100 220	Feb 14 1988	31	KCB
Muniafu, Simon	LO	1.98 6-6	108 240	Oct 26 1995	14	Impala
Onsando, Malcolm	LO	2.02 6-7	105 230	Sep 26 1994	5	Harlequin

Amonde, Andrew	FL	1.90 6-3	106 235	Dec 25 1983	17	KCB
Chituyi, Dalmus	FL	1.84 6-0	96 210	Nov 30 1989	3	Homeboyz
Musonye, Elkeans	FL	1.81 5-11	98 215	Oct 16 1994	8	Strathmore Leos
Nyambua, George	FL	1.95 6-5	109 240	Sep 13 1993	15	Kabras
Owilah, Martin	FL	1.93 6-4	103 225	Mar 31 1989	15	KCB

Chenge, Davis	N8	1.90 6-3	110 240	Jun 11 1991	19	KCB
Chisanga, Josh	N8	1.88 6-2	116 255	Nov 2 1992	20	Homeboyz

Omollo, Mohammed	SH	1.75 5-9	76 165	Oct 18 1993	2	Homeboyz
Onsomu, Samson	SH	1.68 5-6	84 185	Nov 29 1991	19	Impala

Mukidza, Darwin	FH/CE	1.82 6-0	92 200	Jan 20 1988	27	KCB
Oliech, Samuel	FH	1.85 6-1	90 200	Dec 15 1993	4	Impala

Injera, Collins	CE	1.82 6-0	90 200	Oct 18 1986	12	Mwamba
Kilonzo, Peter	CE	1.81 5-11	95 210	Nov 1 1991	9	KCB
Seje, Leo	CE	1.80 5-11	100 220	Aug 11 1990	11	Impala

Ambaka, Willy	WI	1.93 6-4	103 225	May 14 1990	2	Harlequin
Ayange, Felix	WI	1.81 5-11	88 195	May 21 1989	2	Kabras
Oyoo, Nelson	WI	1.80 5-11	87 190	Jun 26 1994	–	Nakuru

Onyango, Tony	FB	1.86 6-1	84 185	Apr 7 1991	20	Homeboyz
Reeve, William	FB	1.85 6-1	90 200	Jan 8 1992	–	Harlequin