Africa-Press – Kenya. Set-piece execution and defensive organisation are the key areas Kenya Lionesses interim coach Simon Odongo is keen to sharpen ahead of the World Rugby Sevens Division Two tournament at Nyayo Stadium on February 14–15.
Speaking on Wednesday, Odongo said the two facets will be crucial as the Lionesses target a strong start to the series. The Lionesses returned over the weekend from a week-long high-performance camp in Alicante, Spain, and Odongo said the focus is now on fine-tuning their fundamentals.
“From our review, we need to work on the set-piece, which is a vital part of sevens rugby — from kick-off reception to line-outs and scrums. With the few days we have left, we want to perfect those areas,” said Odongo.
On attack, the tactician stressed the importance of patience and variation, particularly after Kenya fell short in the Africa Cup Sevens final, losing 22-0 to South Africa at the RFUEA Ground in November.
“From the camp in Spain, we have introduced a few tweaks which we will unleash during the tournament.
The girls just need to be patient with the ball in hand, especially in the red zone,” he noted. Odongo added that smarter positional play will be vital to converting opportunities into points.
“Our positional play has to be better. Sometimes you find the ball carrier in the wrong space alongside the first receiver, and we end up missing scoring chances due to poor options.
That is something we have worked on heading into the championship,” he said. The Quins assistant coach said competition for places in the final 13-player squad, set to be named on Friday, has been intense over the past two months.
“The girls have brought their A-game in training, including during the camp in Spain. The squad we will name will be a blend of youth and experience,” said Odongo. He noted that depth will be key in the two-day tournament.
“You may have a strong starting seven, but at the Africa Cup, our bench was not strong enough. Going forward, we want impact substitutes who can come on and change the game,” he said.
The Lionesses are drawn in Pool A, where they will face China and Spain on the opening day, before clashes against Brazil, Argentina and African rivals South Africa on the second day.
Odongo expects a fiercely competitive championship. “There are no easy teams. Every side will be pushing for promotion, so it will be a cut-throat competition,” he said.
