NAIROBI, Kenya, September 9- Kenya Sevens forward Wilson Kopondo is hoping for the chance to be part of the national team at next month’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
The Kenya Harlequins bruiser told Capital Sport on Thursday that it will be a massive honour to take part in the games going by the prestige associated with it.
“Commonwealth is a step lower than the Olympics which is as high as anyone can go in sport. If I’m picked that will be the greatest thing that will happen to me,” said Kopondo.
Kenya are in Pool C of the Sevens competition alongside current International Rugby Board (IRB) Sevens Series champions Samoa, Uganda and Papua New Guinea.
Kopondo who recently moved from Mean Machine to Kenya Harlequins attributes his new side’s consecutive main cup final losses in the Prinsloo and Dala Sevens to being slow off the blocks.
“We always start slowly not just against Mwamba but other teams as well. When you do that against teams that defend well like Mwamba you will never catch up,” said Kopondo.
Quins hope to capitalize on home ground advantage at next weekend’s George Kabeberi Sevens at the Rugby Football Union of East Africa (RFUEA) grounds.
The Kenya Cup champions are in Pool B alongside Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA), Catholic University and Masinde Muliro University.
Series leaders and top seeds Mwamba face Daystar, Mount Kenya University and United States International University (USIU).
Impala are in Pool C with Mean Machine, Nairobi Mtaa and Molo RFC.
Nakuru are in Pool D with Blakblad, Oryx and Mwamba II while Pool E will see KCB, Kisumu, Greenfields and Mombasa.
