Homeboyz Throw Head Coach Murunga Into A Selection Spin
23rd August 2018
Charging Deejays out for fourth Sevens Series victory at Driftwood 7s in Mombasa
- The Deejays hold an unassailable lead at the helm of the standings with maximum 66 points
- Former national sevens side Shujaa assistant boss attributed their charge to the crown to good pre-season preparations
- The successes of his main squad and their understudies have presented a selection jigsaw for Murunga and his technical bench
- Murunga hailed the impact of Shujaa stalwarts, Oscar Ayodi and Augustine Lugonzo who linked up with his side at Kabeberi
NAIROBI, Kenya- Homeboyz RFC will set up their decks at Driftwood 7s in Mombasa these weekend seeking to spin their way to their fourth Stanbic Bank National Sevens Circuit victory in a row.
Heading to round four at Mombasa Sports Club, the Deejays hold an unassailable lead at the helm of the standings with maximum 66 points, collecting the Main Cup honours at each of the preceding Prinsloo (Nakuru), Sepetuka (Eldoret) and Kabeberi (Machakos) sevens showdowns.
Speaking to SportPesa News on Thursday, Homeboyz head coach and former national sevens side Shujaa assistant boss, Paul Murunga, attributed their charge to the crown to good pre-season preparations as they seek to complete a historic Grand Slam.
"Our training sessions were more focused on conditioning and that is why most of our players are looking much stronger. Unlike other seasons, everyone was fit to play, we did not have injuries or surgeries and we have depth.
"Our second side won the Division 2 in Sepetuka and reaching the Final of the same competition in Kabeberi,” Murunga noted.
The successes of his main squad and their understudies have presented a selection jigsaw for Murunga and his technical bench ahead of Driftwood 7s.
"That depth gives me a headache on who to choose to play over the weekend. We have numbers,” he admitted.
Shujaa stalwarts
Murunga hailed the impact of Shujaa stalwarts, Oscar Ayodi and Augustine Lugonzo who linked up with his side at Kabeberi.
"We introduced Ayodi and Lugonzo in the third leg just to make sure the team was stronger and had depth but apparently, the young players that came from school last year but one are looking sharper than the rest.
"The blend between senior players like (Dennis) Mugaisi and Mark Wandetto is working so well since the young players can run and the senior players can use their experience to good effect,” Murunga who is famed for developing youngsters stressed.
The storming Deejays have won 17 of 18 matches on the circuit this season including 15 consecutive wins since losing 21-12 to Kenya Harlequin in a Pool B decider in Nakuru on July 21.
They are top seeded in Pool A of the Driftwood 7s where they will lock horns with Mean Machine, Menengai Oilers and home side Regional Logistic Mombasa who invited themselves to the showdown.
Their winger, Wandetto also tops the try scorers charts, touching down 23 times over the past three rounds.
KCB’s Shaban Ahmed who tops the Top Point Scorer’s list as he has 20 tries and 13 conversions to his name bringing his overall total to 126. Wandetto is second on the Top Point Scorer’s list with 115.
Top Fry Nakuru’s Gramwell Bunyasi is third on the list with a total of 65 points coming from 13 tries.
Stanbic Mwamba, beaten Cup finalists at the opening two rounds lie second on the log, 15 points adrift on 51 with KCB (49), Top Fry Nakuru (41) and reigning circuit champions Kabras Sugar (35) rounding off the top five.
Sevens Circuit Standings after Kabeberi 7s
1. Homeboyz 66
2.Mwamba 51
3.KCB 49
4.Nakuru 41
5.Kabras 35
6.Quins 31
7.Impala 30
8.Oilers 26
9.Nondies 25
10.Machine 23
11.Blak Blad 20
12.MMUST 15
13.Strathmore 13
14.Kisii RFC 12
15.Monks 6
16.Kisumu 5
17.Suburbs 1
18.Webuye 1
19.Mombasa 1