Vincent Onyala returns as Kevin Wambua names Shujaa squad for Perth 7s escapade

Vincent Onyala & Tony Omondi have returned to the squad | Photo: World Rugby

Vincent Onyala returns as Kevin Wambua names Shujaa squad for Perth 7s escapade

Mark Kinyanjui 13:10 - 15.01.2025

Onyala, who had initially refused to commit to the contract offered to him on the table by KRU for the upcoming season, has made a comeback to the squad, alongside Tony Omondi.

Shujaa head coach Kevin Wambua has announced his squad for this weekend’s Perth 7s tournament in Australia, making two key changes to bolster the team.

Vincent Onyala has returned to the squad after opting out of the first two tournaments due to a contractual dispute with Kenya Rugby Union (KRU), whole Brian Tanga has recovered from injury.

The team underwent a one-week residential training camp to refine their strategy ahead of the competition. Speaking at the team naming, co-captain Samuel Asati highlighted the significance of the camp, saying.

"Having the boys in one place focusing on training brought us together. We were able to work on the tactical bits of the sport, and this has improved our performance.

“ Additionally, having Onyala and Tanga back is a plus as they bring in a lot of leadership within the setup, together with Tony.”

Coach Wambua had previously assured fans that Vincent Onyala and Antony Omondi had a strong chance of rejoining the squad after the Dubai and Cape Town 7s.

"For them, it is just a contractual issue… something we are talking about. Hopefully, by the time we come back, everything will be sorted. It is not like they have been chased away from the team; it’s just that they haven’t signed the contracts yet."

The coach also emphasised the importance of players meeting key performance indicators (KPIs) and noted the need to give others an opportunity.

"We also have to understand that even if they showed up, they still have to meet some demands in terms of the KPIs. Since they haven’t been around with us, we decided to give others the opportunity to showcase what they can do because it is going to be a very long season."

Contractual disputes loomed large last November

The return of Onyala, Omondi and Tanga is a bright spot amid ongoing contractual disputes within the Shujaa camp.

The union had proposed Sh150,000 (per month) for Tier One players, Sh127,000 for Tier Two and Sh50,000 for new entrants, running until 2026.

However, the players wanted almost double the perks as senior — Tier One — players demand between Sh200,000 and Sh300,000.

They also wanted their medical insurance sorted out in addition to some other minor details in the contracts.

Shujaa has been drawn in Pool C, where they will face formidable opponents Fiji, New Zealand, and Uruguay. The team’s Perth 7s schedule is as follows:

Friday, 24th January 2025

6:00 am – New Zealand vs Shujaa

10:59 am – Fiji vs Shujaa

Saturday, 25th January 2025

7:00 am – Shujaa vs Uruguay

Shujaa Squad for Perth 7s

Kevin Wekesa, George Ooro (Co-captain), William Mwanji, Vincent Onyala, Dennis Abukuse, Samuel Asati (Co-captain), Nygel Amaitsa, Antony Omondi, Patrick Odongo, Festus Shiasi, Benson Salem, Floyd Wabwire, and Brian Tanga.

Tags: