Kabras Sugar head coach Charles Cardovillis.Photo/TIMOTHY OLOBULU
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 8- Kabras Sugar has made a statement of intent ahead of the Kabeberi Sevens, the second leg of the National Sevens Circuit this weekend by throwing into the fray three experienced faces.
National team players Dan Sikuta and Felix Tanga make the cut with Sikuta having been with the team in Mombasa while Fabian Olando returns to action for the first time after missing a whole calendar year with injury.
Head coach Charles Cardovillis has said the changes are testament enough of his side’s ambition after missing out on the Main Cup in the season opening Driftwood Sevens in Mombasa last weekend, finishing the leg fifth.
“We are in it to win it and the players we have sent out to do duty tells the story. They bring in loads of experience and firepower and it is good to have them in the team. We looked at some of the weaknesses we had in Mombasa and we strengthened,” Cardovillis noted.
“We had some problems with our half-line which was missing a bit of firepower and the players who are coming in will give us that plus a bit of dynamism,” the tactician further explained.
Kabras RFC in action at the Driftwood Sevens in Mombasa on September 2 2017.Photo/TIMOTHY OLOBULU
Kabras are in what on paper looks like an easy pool with Mombasa surprise package Mean Machine, Strathmore and newly promoted Makueni RFC.
He is however, cautious on his approach and has warned his players to take each game with the same measure of seriousness, his target being a minimum of the Main Cup semis.
“We saw what machine did last week and it shows you that you can’t take any team for granted. The pool is very unpredictable and everyone there can show up and surprise,” the former Kenya Harlequin director of rugby added.
The coach is pleased with how his team has performed so far, acknowledging they played attractive rugby in the opening leg except for a few gremlins.
He has urged his players to ensure they perform well on game ones, something he says let them down in Mombasa.
“How we start each day is very important. Our first games in Mombasa on both days were not good. If we can be able to wake up well and get straight into it, then we have a good chance,” the coach offered.
Kabras who have never won the circuit begin their campaign against Makueni before taking on Strathmore and Mean Machine later in the day.
Kabras Sugar team for Kabeberi:
Brian Tanga, Habil Malika, Dan Sikuta, Brian Juma, Johnston Mung’au, David Amboso, Timothy Mmasi, Felix Ayange, Philip Wokorach, Fabian Olando, Jacob Okumba, Dominic Osino, Aluda Beda.
