Kenya Sevens have suffered a major blow with Vincent Onyala ruled out for the next six months with a knee injury.
Onyala sustained the injury while playing for Shujaa during the opening leg in Hong Kong early this month and his earliest possible return will be in June during the London Sevens.
He will miss the Dubai, Cape Town, Hamilton, Sydney, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Singapore and Toulouse tournaments.
Onyala rejoined the squad this season after playing for the Kenya Simbas during the World Cup qualifiers in France in July as well as the Currie Cup fixtures in South Africa.
Speaking Wednesday, team manager Eric Ogweno said the KCB utility back upon return to the country underwent an MRI which detailed the extent of the injury.
"We conducted further tests which showed there was structural damage and it's a big blow but the next player has to step in and steady the side," he noted.
Despite an error-strewn performance in the far east, Onyala was one of the outstanding players with his link-up play, defence and playmaking in the event.
The team has had challenges with the players not being paid for three months but there is a glimmer of hope after the union secured the team to train at Peponi School in the past week, according to Ogweno.
"We have been training at Peponi and the facilities here are good including the gym. The players look stetted in the new environment,” added Ogweno.
Shujaa face a stern test in Dubai with on-form Australia winners in Hong Kong, South Africa and Great Britain awaiting and Ogweno said the team will be relishing the challenge “ Its a tough pool and we must be at our best if we are to get anything from that group ” said Ogweno
From Dubai, Shujaa will head to Cape Town for the third leg in South Africa before coming back home for the Christmas and New Year break. Shujaa picked up a solitary point from the opening leg in Hong Kong.
