Kenya Rugby Union has reappointed former Shujaa and Kenya Simbas star Innocent Simiyu as new Kenya 7s Head Coach.
Simiyu will replace New Zealander Paul Feeney who left the position after just nine months in charge.
He has been handed two-year deal which will kick off in October running through to 2022 and he will chose his technical bench. He beat Paul Murunga, Dennis Mwanja and Nick Wakley who had made the final list.
“It is my pleasure to announce Innocent who emerged top. He did a good job during his first stint. We are confident he will do a good job, Kenya Rugby Union Chairman Oduor Gangla stated.
His first task will be to lead Kenya 7s to World 7s Series which will be a build-up to Tokyo Olympics.
This is the second stint for Namcos. His first stint as Head Coach started in October 2016 after he was picked to replace Benjamin Ayimba.
His first appointment was not welcomed by all as it was received by critics. His first season saw the side finish at position 12 with 68 points just three positions above the relegation zone. The best performance in his first year was in Cape Town where he got 12 points with the lowest being a point in Paris.
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In his second season in charge, he mastered the art. His side beat South Africa 19-12 in a Cup final to be crowned Safland 7s Champions in a build-up to the new season.
In 2017/2018 season, he led Kenya to an eighth position, having garnered a total of 104 points (record points for Kenya). He managed to reach seven Cup quarterfinals in the Series.
He became the first tactician to lead Kenya to back to back finals at Vancouver and Hong Kong 7s. His side however underperformed in the Commonwealth games and the 2018 World Cup. His final tournament in charge during his first stint saw him lead Kenya 7s to a second-place finish at the Africa Men’s 7s tournament.
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