Morans coach explains exclusion of senior players from Africa Men’s 7s tournament
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Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 16.07.25. | 14:40
Conspicuously missing from the squad were seasoned names like Vincent Onyala, Tony Omondi, and Nygel Amaitsa
Kenya Morans head coach Louis Kisia has shed light on the decision to leave out several senior players from the squad that represented the country at the 2025 Africa Men’s 7s tournament held from Saturday, 21 to Sunday, 22 June in Mauritius.
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The team, which finished fourth, a significant improvement from their sixth-place finish in 2024, featured only three players with solid HSBC SVNS Series experience.
They included Captain George Ooro, Menengai Oilers’ centre Dennis Abukuse, and Kabras RFC’s William Mwanji.
Floyd Wabwire and Brian Mutua also made the trip, but their appearances in the series had either been from the bench or were limited. Co-captain Chrissant Ojwang was returning to the team after close to six months on the sidelines following a serious leg injury he suffered during the Dubai 7s in December 2024.
Conspicuously missing from the squad were seasoned names like Vincent Onyala, Tony Omondi, and Nygel Amaitsa.
Speaking to Mozzart Sport, Kisia noted that their exclusion was intentional and part of a long-term vision for Kenya’s sevens program.
“Regarding the Mauritius tournament, if we aimed to go and win the tournament, we would have done that.
We had Nygel Amaitsa in the country, we had Onyala, Omondi, we would have carried all these boys,” he said.
The former Strathmore Leos tactician went on to note that the aim was not to win, but to develop talents who have long been part of the Kenya Sevens program.
“We were there to build depth. It is we who know what we are looking for and what is required of us heading into the next series,” he averred.
Kisia, who doubles up as the Impala RFC coach, emphasised the need to expose younger players who have been training within the Morans setup and are on contract with the team.
Among them was Kabras RFC’s Jackson Siketi, who made the most of the opportunity and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
“Why would I take the likes of Omondi to go and play, yet I could build the likes of Siketi? It was an opportunity for these other boys who have been training with us for the last year to showcase their skills,” he said.
The decision to prioritise development over results is part of the technical bench’s broader plan to build a more competitive and sustainable squad for future competitions, including the upcoming new-look SVNS Division II.
“Ours as a technical bench, we saw what we needed to see, and we will make a sober decision as we head into the new season.”
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Despite missing out on a podium finish, Kisia believes the fourth-place result in Mauritius was a step forward.
“Finishing fourth was an achievement. Remember, last year we finished sixth. This year was an improvement, and we played against quality sides.”
He pointed out that Madagascar, which performed well at the tournament, had the benefit of playing an entire season in the Challenger Series, unlike the Morans, who were largely composed of players with limited or no experience at that level.
Madagascar narrowly defeated Morans 14-12 to end their hopes of winning the tournament.
Morans dropped to the third-place playoffs, where they suffered a heartbreaking 21-19 loss at the hands of Zimbabwe to settle for fourth place.
“The Morans only had three players who played in the series. The rest either did not make the team from the bench or did not even board the plane.
“Zimbabwe is a quality side; they were fighting to get into the Challenger Series. If it were a matter of winning, we would have won, but for us, it is about development, to expose as many players as possible, especially those who are in the system,” he stressed.
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