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Morans coach details how Collins Injera inspired Ambesta’s positional switch
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 15.07.25. | 08:25
Ambetsa impressed with his distribution, lineouts, and overall game management in his new role in the team
Kenya Morans head coach Louis Kisia has shed light on the decision to field Lameck Ambetsa at scrum half during the Africa Men's 7s tournament played on Saturday, 21 to Sunday, 22 June in Mauritius.
Morans narrowly missed out on a podium finish, settling for fourth place after falling to Zimbabwe in the third-place playoff.
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Still, it marked an improvement from the 2024 edition, where they finished sixth.
Ambetsa’s positional shift became a key talking point following the tournament, with observers curious about the rationale behind the change.
Mozzart Sport chatted with Kisia, who explained that it was all part of a larger plan.
The tactician referenced top try scorer Collins Injera, who, in his journey to make history as the first Kenyan to win the HSBC top scorer gong, switched from winger to number nine.
"Lameck is an Olympian and has been part of the system. He has been training with us, but he has not made any tour. We converted him from wing to number 9. Remember, Collins Injera became the best try scorer by shifting from wing to nine," he offered.
The last time Ambetsa played as a winger for the national team was during the 2024 Challenger Series in Munich, Germany.
He has since been training as a scrum half, together with Samuel Asati and Brian Tanga.
"Lameck is skillful, he has good passes, and he understands the system. He was shifted during training. Him, Asati, and Tanga have been training as our number nines. The last time he played wing for the national team was in Germany, during the Challenger Series," he continued.
Opportunity met preparation during the Africa Men's 7s, and Ambetsa finally earned his spot in the team.
He impressed with his distribution, lineouts, and overall game management, crucial for a player in such a pivotal position.
"The Africa Men’s 7s was the best tournament to take him to play at a position that he is fighting for. He has a contract, and we need to verify if he still holds it. We needed to see how he could perform against these big sides, and he did well. His lineouts were perfect," he praised.
Kisia also defended the broader philosophy of positional flexibility, pointing out that coaches often make decisions based on team strategy rather than sticking to a player's club position.
He cited the example of Menengai Oilers’ John Okoth, who plays center for his club but features as a forward for the Shujaa.
"It is the coach’s discretion to decide where he plays. Every coach has his tactics and how he wants his team to play," he added.
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