Kenya Simbas Ready To Roar Despite RWC Qualifying Miscarriage
20th November 2018
The one sport which has been associated with Kenya for decades is middle-distance running but their 15-a-side rugby side are taking strides to change that
- The Simbas (The Lions), led by New Zealander Ian Snook, have failed to claim a place at next year's World Cup in Japan after two defeats in the ongoing qualifying repechage tournament in Marseille
- Despite the surge in interest at grassroots level, the senior side still faces huge obstacles as it tries to climb from its world ranking of 30th
- The Shujaa won a bronze medal at the 2009 Sevens Rugby World Cup, claimed an overall record-best fifth place finish in 2013 and playmaker Collins Injera sits second on the all-time try scorers' list with 271 tries in 408 matches
PARIS, France- The one sport which has been associated with
Kenya for decades is middle-distance running but their 15-a-side rugby side are
taking strides to change that.
Kenyan athletes are reigning Olympic champions in four track
events as well as marathon title holders in both the men's and women's races
and they have amassed more than a century of medals at various games since
Tokyo in 1964.
In contrast, the Simbas (The Lions), led by New Zealander
Ian Snook, have failed to claim a place at next year's World Cup in Japan after
two defeats in the ongoing qualifying repechage tournament in Marseille, losing
65-19 to Canada and 42-17 to Hong Kong.
But team manger Wangila Simiyu thinks the sport is evolving
in the east African republic.
"Rugby has really grown in Kenya, both in primary and
secondary schools, especially in the (housing) estates," he told AFP.
"The number of children playing this game is over
10,000, (ranging) from six to 18 years old," Wangila added.
Despite the surge in interest at grassroots level, the
senior side still faces huge obstacles as it tries to climb from its world
ranking of 30th.
"We lack a lot of financing to support the national
team, to run the programme and camps that we require," Wangila said.
"We're actually struggling so much in terms of
sponsorship. It's quite expensive to run a 15-a-side that lacks sponsorship and
lacks the basics of sports like kit, having a stadium, nutrition and allowances
for players," he added.
Wangila believes support is needed from politicians and
authorities both locally and internationally.
"We have requested from the government to get financial
assistance for the national team," he said.
"It's a shame, when you run a team to represent the
country, you need all the support possible," he added.
Wangila said with Kenya having come so close to a first-ever
spot at the World Cup, rugby's global administrators should also now step in.
"I'm appealing also to World Rugby to consider Kenya as
a country that needs help and assistance," Wangila said.
"This is the second time we've been knocking on the
door of the World Cup, without any resources. We need assistance, we need
facilities, we need equipment, we need uniform, we need food!"
Coach Snook, who only took up his position in April, also
sees the potential.
"If they are prepared to invest money in it, in
infrastructures which they need to construct from the bottom, they could really
go forward and develop," the 68-year-old said.
Sevens success
One Kenyan rugby success story comes in the shorter form of
the game. Their seven-a-side team have competed with the world's best for
almost two decades as core members of the world series competing against the
likes of Olympic champions Fiji and Commonwealth Games gold-medallists New
Zealand.
The Shujaa (The Brave Ones) won a bronze medal at the 2009
Sevens Rugby World Cup, claimed an overall record-best fifth place finish in
2013 and playmaker Collins Injera sits second on the all-time try scorers' list
with 271 touchdowns in 408 matches.
The captain of their 15-a-side outfit, Davis Change, praises
the impact the format has had on the nation of more than 49 million people.
"Sevens has given us very good things like exposure,
it's a marketing tool for the whole country," he said.
Wangila echoed these thoughts, highlighting the effect of
rugby's introduction as an Olympic sport at the 2016 Rio Games, where Kenya
finished a disappointing 11th place after losses to the All Blacks, Great
Britain and Japan.
"Already sevens is doing daily advertising for Kenyan
rugby, we're just trying to get 15s to the level where sevens rugby is,"
he said.
Despite failure this time round, Wangila is confident
Kenya's Simbas will have their day.
"We're not going to give up, I'll make sure the spirit
of the lions still lives in us."
Kenya finish their participation in the repechage tournament
on Friday as they face world number 28 Germany in Marseille.