Amonde convinced current crop of Shujaa can out perform previous golden generation

RUGBY Amonde convinced current crop of Shujaa can out perform previous golden generation

Mark Kinyanjui 06:04 - 14.09.2023

Amonde believes the current crop of players can achieve bigger things than what he and his peers ever did during his playing days.

Former Kenya Sevens captain Andrew Amonde believes that the current crop of players under the stewardship of new head coach Kevin Wambua have the potential to achieve greater things than the golden generation ever did.

Wambua on Tuesday named the squad that will be traveling to Zimbabwe to take part in the African Sevens that doubles up as the Olympic qualifying tournament.

Amonde, who is part of Wambua’s coaching staff, has linked up with the side days after steering KCB to the National Sevens Circuit victory.

The 39-year-old believes that the side is ready and prepared for the challenge ahead, believing they have prepared well for the tournament.

“We’ve done a lot with the boys lately. We have been able to have a very young group that we have been working with,” Amonde said.

“I am very happy with what they have done so far and what they have been doing in the training.

“It is just for them to go out and win. That is the only thing we expect from them. To go out and represent us well and bring us the medal that we need.”

Amonde believes it is just a matter of time before Shujaa gets back into the big time, believing the current crop of players can achieve bigger things than what he and his peers ever did in his playing days.

“It is just a matter of time because from the kind of work we have seen and my experience of playing rugby, we still have a great chance of doing even better than what we did ourselves and players because we have a very young talented side that is ready to exploit anything.

“I see them going places that we never even reached ourselves because they are a side that have been given everything, so it is just a matter of them starting to achieve it.”

Shujaa are in Pool B alongside Zambia, Namibia, and Nigeria. Pool A features South Africa, Madagascar, Tunisia, and Ivory Coast with Pool C comprising Uganda, hosts Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, and Algeria.

Kenya will begin their Olympic qualifiers against Nigeria then tackle Namibia before completing group stage action against Zambia.

The winner of the tournament will seal a ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and if Kenya fail to win the tournament, they will hope to finish second or third to qualify for the 2024 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament while also making it to the 2024 Challenger Series.

Tags: