Paul Murunga is the front runner for the Kenya Sevens head coach position after extensive interviews conducted late last week.
The interviews were conducted from Wednesday to Friday with applicants interviewed for various positions including physiotherapists and strength and conditioning coaches.
Murunga, who served under Benjamin Ayimba in the 2015-16 season, has made the final list of five alongside former national team coaches Mitch Ocholla (Strathmore) Charles Cadovillis (Quins), former Kenya Sevens captain Inncocent Simiyu and Fijian Salosi Naiteqe. Ayimba’s name is conspicuously missing from the final list.
Murunga may have the inside track, owing to his experience of having been part of the Kenya technical bench which won the Singapore leg and has had a stint with the Kenya under-19s Sevens team, which also took part inn the 2014 Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China. Murunga has also coached various under 19s squads in the recent past.
Former Canadian Sevens Englishman coach Liam Middleton, who was a front runner for the job, is also missing out on the list alongside Australia’s Andrew Curtain, Chris Neil of New Zealand and Will Webster of South Africa. The position of women’s head coach has attracted former coach Mike Shammiah, Kevin Wambua and Mary Achieng.
For the position of team manager, incumbent Newton Ongalo makes the final cut alongside Fahad Adil of Strathmore Leos, Eric Ogweno, Jimmi Mnene (Quins) and Raymond Oruo.
The interview panel included Kenya Cup Club caucus chairman Roy Olendo, director of rugby Thomas Odundo, Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) vice chairman Thomas Opiyo, board member Paula Lanco and Nationwide representative, Walter Orangi. The KRU board meets today to assess the coaching appointments for both the men and women’s team coach with an announcement slated to be made tomorrow on who takes over.
Director of national squads Oscar Mango, who was part of the interview process, termed the exercise a success. “We had excellent coaches across the board being interviewed and this shows the Kenya Sevens job is highly coveted and very competitive and we want best man for the job,” added Mango.
Mango said a provisional team will be named by the end of the week to start training for the start of the World Sevens series, which starts in Dubai in December.
“We want to start the preparation soon. We don’t have time on our side so hopefully, the players, who played at the Safari Sevens a fortnight ago will have their medicals this week and after that, the coaching panel will be in place,” added Mango.