I am still here to stay – experienced Andrew Amonde declares

Retired Kenya 7s stalwart Andrew Amonde, 38, has reiterated that he will still be playing his club rugby for eight-time Kenya Cup winners KCB RFC almost a year after hanging his boots from the national team setup.

Back in July 2021, after the conclusion of the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic games, Amonde announced his retirement from the men’s national rugby sevens team, Shujaa, after a career that had spanned 15 years with the national sides, leaving room for speculation about his time on the field locally.

But immediately after, the experienced player who remains to be the only captain who has ever led Shujaa to their first and only ever prestigious HSBC World Sevens Series Title that came in Singapore 2016, went back to his club to continue with the game.

Despite enduring a torrid season in the just ended 2021/2022 Kenya Cup campaign, where the Curtis Olago coached side finished without any silverware for the first time since 2017 as they were knocked out in the Kenya Cup semis and lost the Enterprise Cup to rivals Kabras Sugar RFC in the final, Amonde assured that he will still be available for the big hits.

“I will still be here playing locally with KCB because I enjoy going out with the boys and motivating them. I can confirm that I will still be around,” Amonde told Mozzart Sport.

Amonde exits Kenya 7s scene as a legend who started from the bottom

At the moment, Amonde, who has always shown a desire in transitioning to coaching after calling time to his playing career, is in South Africa for a coaching and training course organized by KCB RFC.

Head coach Olago, the retired skipper and backs coach Mark Mushila, Brian Otieno, and Brian Omondi were invited to Western Province rugby where they will spend 11-days learning in Western Province before returning to the country on Wednesday 4 May 2022.

United Rugby Championship side DHL Stormers and Currie Cup outfit Western Province are set to hand coaching skills to the five-man team from the coaching and support staff.

KCB RFC technical bench heading to South Africa for training

Achievements

- Led the side to win the Singapore 7s

- Captained Shujaa to their maiden Olympics in 2016.

- Captained Shujaa to the 2013 Rugby World Cup held in Russia as Kenya finished fourth. The forward also took part in the 2018 Rugby World and Commonwealth Games.

- Played 358 matches, scoring 64 tries for a total of 320 points. He has 528 carries, 62 clean breaks and 369 tackles (all-time highest for Kenya).

- Amonde has also represented Kenya in Rugby Africa Men’s sevens.

In 2019, he received a Head of State Commendation for his service to the nation.