Today I will not do my own comments on the weekend games. Below is a comment from a "Big Fan" and I think in a nutshell he has covered it. Without realising it he has covered most of my past posts and provided a good summary. Thanks for the post and enjoy the reading. My ramble tomorrow.
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The standards of refereeing throughout the tournament cast a poor reflection on the quality rugby played over the weekend. The lack of consistency by referees individually and collectively was too glaring to overlook It was as if all referees were referring to different rugby rules booklets. This coupled with a lack of appreciation of basic rules and/or the spirit in which the same were formulated was quite disappointing.
In spite of all this however, the Kenyan sevens team showed us why they are the most exciting team in world to watch going forward, with their customary fast paced, high tempo, 14 minutes hard running game style.
It was quite a breathtaking and exhilarating display of pure athleticism.
However it was also apparent that we have not worked on our defensive game. Our tackling and cover defense was weak if not absent. Out of the entire team the only players who the opposition found hard to run through were Kayange, Injera and Biko. Their defensive work rate was in overdrive to cover the weak efforts of their teammates. With such a defensive cover Kenya will never win any serious tournament where the teams are well trained in all aspects of the game. Attack, Defense, Racking, Retaining kick offs, Turning over the ball the tackle, releasing on the tackle or on deck, support play, spreading the ball wide and fluidity in passing the ball.
Kenya’s hard fought win over Zimbabwe was testament to the fact that we still have a long way to go. Zimbabwe is not a core team in the IRB sevens circuit and lack the exposure of our boys. But they are always a difficult opponent. Why? They play our kind of game, hard running and fast paced. And why can they soon have the edge over us? Apart from speed they are working on the other aspects of the game, mainly defense. That is why games against them are always low scoring. As for the emerging boks whom every one seem proud to have beat, everyone seems to forget that this was a weak side with no known regular player from any South African provincial side. And if they had run hard at us, who knows how the game could have gone. Thanks to Kayange for single handedly denying them possession by dominating lineout’s and recovery of kick offs, Injera for bruising hard tackling, and Biko for excellent support and cover defense. Without these players the final could have been lost even before the kickoff.
If we are to stick to a hard running game we should also do what it takes to maintain such a style not only for a tournament but an entire season. It demands that ALL players must be at their peaks in physical fitness at all times. There is no room for slouches. Fitness levels that have not been seen before in the country have to be realised. Strength training has worked for the team. Our players have the required strength to hold their own in rack situations. All that’s left is perfection on proper entering of the rack, positioning, and offloading the ball before the rack is destabilized, or turned. We have also been heavily punished for illegal turnovers and contesting of the opponents rack throughout the season. Penalty offences have often turned a came where we were comfortably ahead.
All in all with proper focus, on our weak points (skills/players), we have four exceptional players in Mwanja,Kayange,Simiyu and Injera who should act as a platform from which Kenya should mould a team to win an IRB sevens circuit tournament, or world cup.
Signed Big Fan
Road to 2012 and Politics of 20 Provinces
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What a year it has been for Seven-a-side rugby in Kenya! First, the national team had its best ever run at the recently concluded IRB Sevens circuit. Then to top it all off, our lads went on to win the 2008 Tusker Safari Sevens tournament. Congratulations are in order. The large crowds we witnessed during the Safari Sevens were testament to the fact that the Sevens game in Kenya has grown in stature. There is, however, a flipside. With all the attention being focused on the Sevens version of the game, there is the very real danger that the 15-a-side version of the game in Kenya could be relegated to the sidelines.
Unlike traditional rugby powerhouses like South Africa, New Zealand, Scotland, England, Australia and Argentina, all of whom are hugely successful in both the 7s and 15s versions, Kenya has in recent times focused more attention on the far more successful 7s version of the game. For the 15s game to rise to the dizzying height achieved by the 7s in the past few years, the KRFU needs to do a number of things. First, the 15s and 7s versions should be run as completely separate entities, as happens in the top nations.
Selecting the same group of players for both 7s and 15s stifles the development of the 15s game and curtails the discovery of emerging talent, which as I have personally witnessed, is in abundance. There’s no point in subjecting players who’ve been through the torturous schedule of the IRB 7s circuit to 15s action. The weary players will be highly ineffective, as we have witnessed in the past. Let 7s players stick to 7s, and let 15s players do what they do best. KRFU also needs to step up its game as far as paying the players is concerned.
Call me materialistic, but you’ll be surprised just how well a player can perform given the right incentive (a good pay package.) But when players feel neglected by the very people that should be safeguarding their welfare, performances on the pitch are bound to be affected. I applaud the KRFU for the steps they’ve taken to develop rugby at the grassroots. It is only through such measures that the sport can churn out new talent to raise the bar. They should, however, not rest on their laurels as they’ve only but taken baby steps.
There’s still a lot of work to be done. It is at this point that I ask why KRFU is yet to go professional. Look at the established rugby nations – never will you hear of a situation where a player is unavailable due to work commitments. After all, rugby is their full-time job. I’ve never heard of an All Black unavailable for selection due to school commitments. Professional is the best way forward for Kenyan 15s rugby
Sorry, Biko and defense in the same sentence. I think not, just watch the recordings of the IRB series matches and count the number of times he got run through vs the number of tackles he made successfully
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