The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) has said they are still in talks with South African coach Paul Treu to head the National Sevens team.
KRU chairman Mwangi Muthee
Speaking to Feverpitch, KRU chairman Mwangi Muthee however refuted reports that an agreement had already been reached.
“Sevens rugby has become quite a complex sport,” he said.
“It’s not only about choosing the head coach; we also need to look at how all aspects of the sport can be covered,” he added.
According to Muthee, the union is looking for a solution that will encompass all facets of the team hence the current negotiations with a number of individuals for the head coach position.
Comprehensive report
“We are going to give a comprehensive statement on Friday, which will give all the details of how the Sevens team will be managed and the direction going forward,” he said.
Since the resignation of Mike Friday from the National Sevens team, speculation has been rife that Treu would be his successor given that Kenya are currently in a working relationship with South Africa and are already getting assistance with the National Fifteens team.
Treu has also honed his skills as a coach in Kenya, where he won his first trophy with the Emerging Boks in the Safari Sevens.
Muthee, however, did not want to reveal too much information in order not to compromise negotiations with the various parties involved as well as with stakeholders.
Drawing near
The time is drawing near as teams begin to prepare for the next season, which kicks off in October in Australia, and KRU is anxious to have a coach to oversee the preparations. Treu resigned as the Springbok Sevens coach mid this month.
Before stepping down, Treu had a contract with the South African Rugby Union (SARU) until the end of October.
Oregan Hoskins, the SARU president and Jurie Roux, the chief executive, said the agreement to let Treu go was amicable.
Meanwhile, in the Sevens Safricom series, three different teams have won the three titles in Kisumu, Nairobi and Mombasa.
Stakes are high given that all the top six teams still have a realistic chance of grabbing the overall trophy with only two legs to go.
The teams will head for Nakuru this weekend and will finish the circuit in Nairobi for the Christie Sevens.
Mwamba is currently leading in the table standings and they look like worthy contenders as they work to bolster their squad with the return of Collins Injera who has been away nursing an injury.
By BS Mulavi, The Standard
