Kenya targets consistency at rugby World Series with Dubai Sevens

Kenya rugby head coach Paul Feeney has warned his charges against complacency as they launch their World Series season campaign at the Dubai Sevens on Thursday with a clash against giants South Africa.

Feeney, who will be taking his first charge of the team, has been overwhelmed by the talents at his disposal, saying rugby is on the heart of Kenya, and when something, or someone, has a special place in there, one can overlook their faults.

After the senior players staged a boycott from the national team last year, which exposed the country and almost left it hanging by the straws from the danger of relegation, Feeney has swept it aside and seeks to start in a clean slate.

"The focus should be on Kenya stringing together a number of good results and be consistent this season. This will help us aim for the top-eight finish at the close of the 2019/2020 campaign," Feeney said before the team departed for Dubai on Monday.

"I am happy with the blend of youth and senior players in the squad. It offers a selection headache for me, which is something good," he added.

The team is pooled in a tough group D with South Africa, England, and Spain. After the South Africa Games on Thursday, Kenya will face England in their second pool match before ending the group stage with a clash against Spain.

Kenya team, nicknamed Shujaa, will, however, have to play without their talisman Collins Injera, who picked up a shoulder injury during October's International Safari Sevens.

"Injera is doing all the non-contact training. We are not going to risk him for the first two legs," said Feeney.

On the women's side, Kenya head coach Felix Oloo will lead his charges to Dubai, not competing in the main tournament, but in the international invitational women's competition.

Kenya is in Pool C of the tournament alongside France 7s Development side, Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix, Belsevens and Aruka Queen Kumagaya. The Dubai Sevens are to be held from December 5 to 7 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Dubai Sevens kicks off the men's competition for the 2020 World Series and is the second tournament for the women after their season opener in Glendale, Colorado, in October where the hosts the USA were victorious.

As well as 2020 being a record-breaker for the World Series with the number of women's tournaments increasing to eight and the men's again being contested across 10, it is also an Olympic season with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games taking place next July.

Olympic gold medalists and reigning World Series champions, Fiji will be looking to replicate their success this season.

"We love what we do, we know it's tough and it will be tougher than last year. When you are world champions it is very hard to stay at that level, but it's a good challenge for the boys," Fiji captain Paula Dranisinukula told World Rugby.

In the men's competition, Samoa and Canada will get the proceedings underway on Thursday. They will be joined by defending Dubai champions New Zealand and Wales in Pool C, while Australia, Scotland, 2019 runners-up USA and Ireland are drawn in Pool B. Fiji will face France, Argentina and invitational outfit Japan in Pool A.

Rugby sevens will be represented at the Games for a second time at the Tokyo Stadium from July 27 to Aug 1 next year. Kenya has already secured qualification for both the men's and women's teams.

A total of 11 men's and 10 women's teams have qualified for Tokyo 2020 so far with last season's world series acting as the principal route for qualification with the top four teams in the men's and women's competitions automatically qualifying.

Only three places remain to be confirmed - one men's and two women's - with the global repechage tournament in June next year determining which teams will occupy the final spots.