NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 2 – Kenya Simbas head coach Paul Odera says the team is calm, easy and collected ahead of their 2023 Rugby World Cup qualification quarter final match against Uganda in France on Saturday evening.
The tactician, a tough disciplinarian and a dedicated tactician, says the focus in the boys remind him of the great Real Madrid European conquering teams as well as the all blacks and England squads who have won massive titles before.
“The team is looking good. Very focused. They are quite calm and they remind me of when you watch the very good teams of Real Madrid, or the All Black teams that are performing at their best or even the England squad that won the World Cup in 2003 or the South African team that won the last World Cup,” Odera told Capital Sports.
“That’s the sense I get when I see them. They are focused and ready for the challenge.”
The Simbas left the country last week for France and have settled in well over the last few days, sharpening their claws ready for the first battle against the Ugandans in the quarter finals.
Coach Odera says the expect a tough duel against the neighbors, but is quick to add they have done their home work right and will be in for a good performance when they step on the pitch.
“Uganda has become a better side, yes. How do we approach them? There is always a fine balance and we can’t focus too much on Uganda and take our eyes off ourselves. We have looked at what we do well, we have looked at what Uganda do well and also don’t do well and we have come up with a plan. With every coach, there is always the hope that the players can execute the plan on the day and we are quite confident in what we have done,” said the coach.
The Simbas travel to France with a confidence boost on their backs, having played against two Currie Cup sides in Nairobi, beating both the EP Elephants and the Leopards.
Coach Odera believes the two games are a representation of just how much the team has improved especially after an 11-week training camp in South Africa.
The players have come back looking bigger and fitter, and Odera adds that they are even more hungry for success.
“They are fitter, especially the tight five. It has always been a concern how our props and second row hold up in terms of fitness. That is something that is a plus now. They are bigger, they have added like four or five killos of muscle and are more powerful and strong,” he noted.
He adds; “The biggest plus has also been their tactical awareness and how to play, which has really improved. Sometimes we were too naïve when whe play strong opponents and even when we play those not stronger than us and we are not able to fire away in all fronts. We have made progress in the last 16 weeks.”
“If we apply what we have practiced we should be able to put Uganda under a lot of pressure.”
He also says that there is some level of pressure in the side, but notes they have transformed it positively and will use it to spur their ambition inside the pitch.
Meanwhile, the tactician says he is proud that a huge number of players in the team have come through the junior ranks especially during his time that he was the national Under-20 team coach.
“It shows that if we put belief in a coach and allow him to build up a structure, then it can always lead to success,” said the tactician.
Ten of the players who have travelled to France are Under-23, most of who won the Barthes Cup with him in 2019.
