NEW SEVENS TACTICIAN UNCOVERED: Who is this ‘Namcos’ as his fans call Innocent Simiyu, the new Kenya 7s coach

After several weeks of searching and speculation, the Kenya Rugby Union have finally appointed Innocent Simiyu as the new Kenya Sevens coach for the next two years.

The former Kenya Sevens and 15s captain was installed in absentia yesterday at the RFUEA Grounds as the Union announced the new technical bench members for the three national teams; Kenya Sevens, Kenya Lionesses and Kenya U19.

“It is a good feeling, but at the same time an exciting challenge for me and my team. I know the expectations are high, but having been in the set up since 2002 I’m ready for the task ahead,” Simiyu told Feverpitch.

But who is Simiyu alias Namcos and how did he get the demanding job? Will he be able to match the achievements of his predecessor Benjamin Ayimba whose contract expired in September after a relatively impressive second spell where he guided the national team to its first ever World Rugby Sevens Cup triumph-Singapore Sevens?

“Rugby is a pressure game, but for me is how we plan going forward. Winning is as a result of everything we do at the training ground. Nothing else. I have played under Ayimba and I acknowledge what he has achieved, but we are not coming in to mirror what he did,” added the former Kenyan international.

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Simiyu,33, was confirmed as the coach after beating four other candidates in the final five shortlist that included immediate former assistant coach Paul Murunga, Charles Cardovillis, former Kenya Sevens coach Mitch Ocholla and Fijian Salosi Naiteqe.

Namcos is not new in the Kenyan rugby circles as he skippered both the Kenya Sevens and 15s teams, scoring 58 tries and 15 conversions in the 121 appearances he made for Kenya on the World Sevens Rugby Series between 2002 and 2010.

The youthful coach, who holds a IRB Coaching Level 2 Certificate, comes from a rugby family. He is a sibling of former national team captain Victor Sudi and Impala RFC fly half Nato Simiyu.

Apart from captaining the national teams, Simiyu coached his Ngong Road club Impala in 2014 after coming from a career threatening knee injury he suffered in 2011 during the Bamburi Rugby Super Series. He was a regular player in Ayimba’s team that reached the semi finals of the 2009 Rugby Sevens World Cup in Dubai.

Simiyu was to be unveiled on Thursday last week, but the ceremony was abruptly postponed by KRU after legendary New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens reportedly inquired about the vacant coaching job before he snubbed them to sign for Samoa.

“Innocent Simiyu is the name that most of you have been waiting for and now it is finally out from us, not from anyone else. It’s no longer a rumour, that’s the official position of the Union,” said KRU Chairman Richard Omwela during the press conference.

“There are no politics that played in this at all. Where would politics come from? We tried to get Tietjens (Gordon) but he was being sought by many other countries and that’s why the delay was there.

“But having looked at the final shortlist, Innocent came out on top of the list of applicants and that’s why we decided to give him the job.”

The Nairobi based senior counsel further said that the Union will give Simiyu a free hand to select his own assistant as well as playing unit.

“Since we have decided to go local, we will give him leeway to choose his own assistant and players he would want to work with. We want an assistant who will be able to make him deliver. So if it happens to be an Impala person that will make him deliver so be it.

“We have negotiated an agreeable package with him, but we are yet to set our targets for him. As the Union, we will be patient with him, but it is always the Republic of Kenya that’s ever impatient when results fail to come through.”

Simiyu’s first task will be to select a team and prepare it for upcoming Dubai Sevens, the first leg of the 2016/17 World Rugby Sevens Series season slated for December 2-3. Kenya have been drawn in Pool D alongside France, Australia and Japan.

Kenyatta University’s (Blak Blad) Erick Ogweno has replaced Newton Ong’alo as the team manager.

Strength and Conditioning Coach Ian Gibbons succeeds Geoffrey Kimani. Lameck Bogonko has retained his slot as Team Physio.

Kevin Wambua, who has been acting in an interim basis, has been confirmed as the Kenya Lionesses head coach with former player Camilyn Oyuayo taking over the team manager’s docket.

Samuel Njogu is the new Strength and Conditioning Coach while Ben Mahinda continues serving as the Team Physio.

Paul Odera retained his post as the Kenya U19 coach with Jimmy Mnene taking up the Team Manager role.