Kenya Sevens skipper Nelson Oyoo said they are going to build on their performances at the Commonwealth Games and Los Angeles Sevens when the Rugby World Cup kickoffs on Friday in Cape Town.
The Nakuru RFC winger said with the tournament being played in a knockout format right from the first game, there will be no margin for error in the three-day extravaganza.
"We have played well in the past two tournaments but this is a bigger stage and so we need to be in good sharp from the start to give ourselves a chance of winning a medal,” said Oyoo.
The skipper said he is optimistic especially after reaching the quarter-finals in Birmingham and Los Angeles.
“Our confidence has really grown in the past two months. We were not playing well at the start of the year but the mood in the team is high now and we can't wait to get started,” added Oyoo.
Shujaa open their campaign against Tonga in the preliminary round and Oyoo said they expect a physical confrontation from the Pacific Islanders.
"They are a tough side. We have played them a couple of times and we know what to expect from them,” said Oyoo.
The skipper hailed the return of talisman Collins Injera to the squad for the World Cup.
“He brings experience, winning mentality and leadership to the squad, which will be vital considering the format we will play in,” added Oyoo.
Shujaa had a disastrous tournament in the previous edition in San Francisco, USA five years ago, failing to get to the business end of the competition.
This was majorly due to a contractual standoff between the players and the then sponsor, which saw the players block the sponsor logo on their jerseys at the preceding Paris Sevens.
"Things were not righty the last time we played at this stage but we have a settled squad this time round and everyone is pulling in the right direction,” added Oyoo.
The team will have three days to acclimatise to the warm weather expected in Cape Town during the tournament. The team leaves on Monday morning for Cape Town.
