New KRU Boss Shares Grand Plan to Ensure Constant Flow of Rugby Talent in Kenya

Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chairperson Harriet Okatch has shared the efforts being made to ensure a constant flow of talent within the Kenyan national teams.

Kenya’s national sevens team, Shujaa, the women’s side, Lionesses, and the 15s side Simbas have been flying the country’s flag with mixed fortunes in recent years but there has been a complaint over a lack of proper transition from the old guard to the youngsters.

Okatch, however, feels the criticism is unwarranted as there are structures in place to ensure rugby talent is unearthed across the country so that the national teams are always fed with the right players.

PAY ATTENTION: Stay updated with the Latest Sports News in Kenya from Pulse Sports

“Shujaa already have that development pathway through the Morans and the Director of Rugby and secretariat, including the development committee, are working hard to create even more development pathways so that we are able to feed into those different teams be it Shujaa, U20, Lionesses and the Simbas,” Okatch said on Citizen TV on Monday.

“We do not want to have a gap. I know the Director of Rugby is going round the country to find people’s feedback on how they would want it structured so that there is no gap and everyone is involved.”

Okatch says KRU has also been working closely with the Ministry of Education to ensure players who shine at the secondary school games do not disappear into oblivion but instead find their way to clubs.

“We are working with KSSSA so that school talent can transition into the clubs and national teams. We have very good talents and the coaches are doing their best and coaches travel around the country,” she added.

Okatch replaced Sasha Mutai, who threw in the towel last month following wrangling within KRU that had seen a section of the board sideline and eventually push him out.

The former KRU Commercial Director is also looking forward to putting in place a new constitutional dispensation that will change the way rugby is governed in Kenya.

“We are agitating to change the constitution because it is something that was ready last year and we should have passed it in this year’s AGM,” said Okatch.

“However, that did not happen, now it has gone back again to different stakeholders to add in their input and then their affiliates are going to call us back and during that meeting we are going to have a constitutional review and see when if it is passed.”