Amonde appeals for more sponsorship for Shujaa as hunt for promotion gathers steam

Former Kenya 7s captain Andrew Noel Amonde has called on potential sponsors to support the newly-looking Shujaa who are bidding for promotion to the HSBC World Rugby 7s Series.

The team was relegated from the series following a 12-7 playoff final loss to Canada at Twickenham Stadium, London, on May 21, 2023.

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The defeat meant the Kenyans lost their status as a core team in international rugby’s elite sevens series for the first time in two decades.

They will be competing in the Challenger Series as they seek to return to the HSBC.

The Challenger Series is the pathway teams use to qualify for the World Seven Series and will be played in Dubai, Munich, and Madrid in the first part of this year.

Despite the squad having all it takes to get back to the series, Amonde feels that lack of sufficient funds could potentially ruin the bid for promotion.

He observed that the team had lots of backing from the fans, but funding posed a challenge.

“There is no way this team will ever get to the top level we need them to be without financiers. We call on corporates to have that soft spot for this team and support them.

For the union, they still need to work around the globe to get the boys sponsors,” he started.

Amonde was the captain when Kenya went on to win the Singapore 7s after defeating Fiji 30-7 at the HSBC Singapore 7s on Sunday 17 April 2016 at the Singapore National Stadium.

He also helped Kenya 7s qualify for their first Olympic Games in 2016.

He retired in 2021 to join Shujaa technical bench as the strength and conditioning coach.

The former skipper pointed out that the giant in the room was not to return to the series but to maintain their core status once they got there.

He insisted on the need for sponsorship for the team to achieve that.

“The big thing is not going back to the series. It is being able to retain our position once we get back to the series. We want to build a team that will stay in the series. It is a big challenge. What failed us in the last regime was the lack of a sponsor. We have to get a sponsor to help these boys,” he observed.

Shujaa will be looking to make this year count, following their qualification to the Paris 2024 Olympics in September 2024.

They are currently in Dubai, United Arab Emirates for the ongoing Challenger Series tournament.

Amonde: Main problem facing Shujaa is lack of support