KCB's George Ooro in action against Nondies during a Kenya Cup match/HANDOUT
KCB RFC coach Andrew Amonde believes the addition of Richel Wangila and Sheldon Kahi has strengthened the club’s quest to retain the National Sevens Circuit title as the bankers intensify preparations for the new campaign.
The two recruits featured prominently during the Kenya Cup and Enterprise Cup seasons and are expected to provide valuable depth and versatility in the shorter version of the game as KCB targets back-to-back circuit crowns.
Amonde said the pair’s arrival will complement an already formidable squad packed with experienced sevens internationals. “Having Wangila and Kahi gives us more depth and options. Already, we have a strong and solid squad with several national team players, but this season we have to stay ahead of the pack and not take anything for granted,” said Amonde.
The former Kenya Sevens captain revealed that the defending champions have already begun pre-season training, with the technical bench focusing on fitness and sharpening key aspects of their game. “We have begun our strength and conditioning phase as well as improving our basic core skills in sevens, from kick-off reception to one-on-one tackling, defensive alignment and our attacking game,” he said.
Amonde added that the coaching staff is also working on fresh tactical approaches to ensure KCB remains competitive throughout the circuit. “The technical bench is coming up with a few tweaks to our plays, which we will unleash during the circuit because we must stay ahead of the pack in what will be a tough season,” he said.
As part of their preparations, KCB will participate in a pre-season tournament featuring Blak Blad, Northern Suburbs, USIU and JKUAT Cougars ahead of the National Sevens Circuit opener on July 4. “It will be a solid tournament to test our execution in various facets of play, assess where we are as a team and identify areas that need improvement,” noted Amonde.
The bankers boast a star-studded squad that includes Samuel Asati, George Ooro, Elvis Olukusi, Brian Wahinya, Festus Shiasi and Floyd Wabwire. KCB enjoyed a dominant campaign last season, winning the National Sevens Circuit title with 125 points and claiming four of the six tournaments on offer.
They opened their title-winning run by edging Strathmore Leos 15-14 to lift the Driftwood Sevens before defeating Oilers 19-5 in the Christie Sevens final.
The bankers then beat Daystar Falcons 20-10 to win the Kabeberi Sevens before sealing the season with a 14-5 victory over rivals Kabras Sugar in the final tournament. Their only setbacks came in the Prinsloo Sevens and Embu Sevens, where they finished runners-up to Strathmore Leos on both occasions.
