Feeney targeting quarters in Vegas, Vancouver Sevens

The national rugby sevens team head coach Paul Feeney, is targeting a quarter final berth in the upcoming HSBC Sevens World Series, set for North America.

Feeney on Thursday named the 13-man squad, which saw the return of star athletes such as Samuel Oliech and Oscar Ouma as part of the five changes made from the side that was in action in Hamilton and Sydney.

“We’ve got a lot of good players back and experience in our squad, and on paper we’ve got a reasonable squad.  There is no reason we can’t make the quarter final on a regular basis, another from that is a bonus,” said the coach.

Nondescripts winger Oscar Dennis is fired-up and ready for a comeback after a long injury layoff.

Dennis fractured his cheek bone last year in December as Shujaa battled South Africa at the Dubai Sevens, but is now ready to rumble in North America for the fifth and sixth rounds of the series in Los Angeles, USA, and Vancouver, Canada.

“I could only drink yoghurt and actually lost around eight kilos but it’s been a long road to recovery, but now that I’m back I’m excited to see what the two legs will offer.”

Dennis is chuffed at the change of the competition format, set to be effected in the next two legs.

The format used until in the last competition of the series saw only one team from each pool make the qualify for the main cup semi finals, but will be reverted to the old format where two teams from every pool advance to the quarter finals.

“It is good for the old format to be back and we are excited to play five games and hopefully six in a tournament,” told Dennis.

Shujaa have been drawn in pool B  which also has South Africa, Ireland and Canada in the USA fiesta.