NAIROBI, December 16- Western Province Rugby have announced the hiring of immediate former Kenya 7s boss Paul Treu as part of their coaching line-up barely three days after he quit the side.
Treu, the top rated coach on the World Sevens circuit, having led his native South African to the overall IRB Sevens World Series title in 2008/09 saw his one and half year stint at the helm of Kenya come to a dispiriting end with the third loss on the bounce to Canada during the Bowl final of the Nelson Mandela Bay 7s.
It comes after Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) boss Mwangi Muthee said the search was on for another foreigner to take over from Treu who succeeded Englishman and US coach Mike Friday.
“We are working hard to have a replacement before the next leg of the 7s Series and he will be a foreigner,” Muthee, declared after Kenya ended the Port Elizabeth leg with seven points after losing the Bowl final 4-24 to familiar foes Canada on Sunday.
Kenya have been drawn in Pool D for the Wellington 7s in New Zealand that will be held on the weekend of Feb. 6 and 7 next year with the country languishing 14th on the log with 11 points after three legs of the 2016 Olympics qualifying campaign.
“Paul brings with him plenty of big-game experience and he will add a lot to the already successful and well-balanced coaching set-ups at Western Province,” WP Director of Rugby Gert Smal is quoted on Sport24.co.za website.
“Whilst his recent coaching experience is at Sevens level, Paul has been looking to get back into fifteen-a-side coaching and this is a great opportunity to use his expertise and, at the same time, blood him back into 15s.”
Incidentally WP is one of the teams Kenya 15s will play during their second Vodacom Cup appearance in South Africa.
Rito Hlugwani and Hanyani Shimange are also set to join the club’s coaching set-up with the trio coming in from 2015.
Treu made history as the highest paid coach in the country’s sport when he was brought in three legs into the 2013/14 season with the aim of qualifying the country for the 2016 Rio Olympics but at his exit, Kenya 7s are languishing in 14th, ten places outside the automatic qualification places for the Games.
The 43 year-old coached the Blitzbokke between 2004 and 2013, leading them to an overall tally of 14 tournament wins and building a professional and structured squad set-up in the process.