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The Kenya Sevens great laid bare the behind-the-scenes intrigues that contributed to Shujaa’s poor showing in the World Rugby Sevens Series
Kenya Sevens legend Collins Injera has hit out at a former coach for creating a rift in the team that made the playing environment toxic for the players.
Injera, who retired in January after 17 hugely successful years, revealed how Shujaa, who were relegated from the World Sevens Series last month, were let down by those in charge of the game in the country while also pointing a finger of blame at a former coach for making things even worse.
“The problem is how we handled the transition,” Injera said on SemaBOX podcast, on how Kenya shot themselves in the foot, leading to the loss of their core status that had stood for 19 years.
“Because we have been maintaining a couple of guys who have been there for long like me, I have been there for long, (Andre) Amonde, Oscar Ouma, but we kept ignoring the middle group. The link between the most senior guys and the younger guys.”
Lack of transition
“Every time they develop, somehow something used to happen and before a season, they get kicked out. The they bring in fresh guys, talented yes, but because they did a few runs in the local circuit. So, suddenly every year in the team, we are teaching basics; Touching, passing, tackling and by the time they get it, it is towards the end of the season.
“Then those guys we taught, at the beginning of the season, they are not there again. Then we are being brought new players. Suddenly every year, it’s the same cycle and as much as you say you are maintaining some crop of guys, it was not enough. We needed this middle group that has been there in the team.”
Injera, who is the World Rugby Sevens Series second all-time top try scorer with 279 tries then made startling revelations about a former coach who he blamed for creating a rift between senior and younger players.
Divisive coach
“There was a time the senior and younger players were pit against each other and suddenly, there was a rift,” added Injera.
“Because when guys who were in charge of the game that time come and tell the senior guys; ‘The junior guys don’t want you in the team because they feel you are controlling them.’ Then they go ahead and tell the junior guys; ‘The seniors are saying they don’t want you in the team because you don’t listen and do stuff’.
“Suddenly, there is a big rift, we did not actually realise it, until when we went for the Olympics that’s when one of the younger guys was bold enough and came and told us; ‘Hey, how come you are telling the coach that we are the ones pulling you down?’ and we were surprised.
“That is when we realised that the coach at that time was the one pulling the team apart. When guys discovered what was happening, suddenly, everything wasn’t working. The junior guys have so much power that they don’t even listen.”
Shujaa have been to two Olympics in 2016 under the late Benjamin Ayimba and in Tokyo 2021 when they were handled by Innocent Simiyu. It is not known when the said rift happened as Injera refused to reveal the identity of the coach.
Coach injera?
Having been part of the set up and experienced the highs and lows of playing for Kenya Sevens, the former Mwamba RFC winger did not hide his desire to coach the team some day and impart the knowledge he has gathered over the years.
“It is only fair to share the knowledge and if I share it in a coaching capacity why not. If I share the knowledge in a consultancy capacity, I would do that because I also want another player to have the same dream and achieve it,” he said.
“That is why I have kind of transitioned a bit into coaching. At the moment, I am working with Mwamba Rugby on the upcoming Sevens Series. I have been in the game for long and gone through so many coaches, local and international.
“I have played in different invitational international tournaments with different coaches and I have gathered so much that I can share and I know what needs to be done for a player to be able to achieve the goals they set for themselves.”
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