Onyango dishes out individual Safari 7s targets

The Kenya Safari Sevens tournament is back after a year off the grid. One of the most prestigious competitions on the continent for the last 26 years, it is one where Uganda has won hearts and seen players make a name for themselves.

The Rugby Cranes last outing at the competition came in 2021 where they impressed with a fifth place finish. 

They beat Zimbabwe 29-12 in the fifth place final with a brace from Aaron Ofoyrwoth. Timothy Kisiga, Kelvin Balagadde and Adrian Kasito added a try apiece. The performance left coach Tolbert Onyango a happy man.

Onyango has also always used the Safaricom 7s as a stepping stone for players newly blooded into the 7s set up. 

This year has a couple of debutantes in KCB Kobs’ Mark Osuna and Stanbic Black Pirates’ Roy Kizito who are aware of the task that awaits them at the Rugby Football Union of East Africa (RFUEA) ground this weekend.

“Every player individually has their targets and that’s what we shall be measuring ourselves on,” Onyango told Daily Monitor during the side’s flag off ceremony on Wednesday. 

The last one month or so of training has seen Onyango set targets for every player and this weekend will test them against some good sides.

The side has a new captain in seasoned sweeper Ofoyrwoth who will be deputized by another regular face in the side, Kasito. 

Pius Ogena keeps his place having returned to the group for September’s Africa Mens Sevens in Zimbabwe after being out of the side for two years. 

Davis Shimwa gets another run after debuting in Zimbabwe while Aaron Tukei also gets his chance on the big stage. The rest of the lot has familiar faces who have been there before.

Germany, Tropic 7s (UK), Red Wailers (UK), Samurai Barracudas (UK), SA All Stars (South Africa), Western Province Select (South Africa) and three Kenyan sides in Shujja, Morans and KCB are all in for the Safaricom 7s party.

Precious game time

The Lady Cranes 7s fresh from a third place finish at the Rugby Africa Women’s 7s last month in Tunisia want to leave a mark at the Safaricom 7s. 

Third place in Tunisia gave them an Olympics lifeline and they will play for qualification at a repechage tournament next year. 

Coach Charles Onen has largely stuck with the group he trusted in Tunisia and he hopes they can add to their arsenal by the end of the weekend. 

One of Onen’s cries has been lack of enough tournaments to test the girls and this will come as a blessing with next year’s World Challenger Series also on the way.

Squads

Men: Aaron Ofoyrwoth (c), Adrian Kasito (vc), Davis Shimwa, Alex Aturinda, Mark Osuna, Timothy Mugisha, Pius Ogena, Isaac Massa, Aaron Tukei, William Nkore, Roy Kizito, Nobert Okeny

Women: Peace Lekuru (c), Agnes Nakuya, Lydia Namabiro, Sarah Kirabo, Yvone Najjuma, Grace Nabbagala, Mayimuna Nassozi, Lona Sandra Amoli, Ritta Naddunga, Rachael Mufuwa, Getrude Kuteesa, Unity Namulala.