A number of Kenyan Sevens players are boycotting their union
Kenya’s top sevens players are being asked to take a 50 per cent cut in their contracts as their cash strapped rugby union faces serious financial problems.
The pay dispute has resulted in several top players rejecting contracts and they have been boycotting training and the squad could be seriously depleted for the HSBC World Sevens Series events in Hamilton later this month and Sydney at the start of February.
Salary structure changes have resulted in reduced pay offers to players, and they are reported to have been offered nearly half of what they have received in the past. Senior players, who used to earn between Sh170,000 (£1300)and Sh145,000(£1100) last season, want the union to uphold the same structure for the 2018/2018 season.
The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) has adopted a lower salary structure with senior players offered Sh100,000(£770) and below.
Players thought to be involved in the boycott include: Collins Injera, the second-highest try scorer win World Series history, former captain Andrew Amonde, William 'Lomu' Ambaka, Samuel Oliech and Nelson Oyoo.
Players who took part in the Dubai and Cape Town legs of the World Series this season, including captain Eden Agero, have also boycotted training.
Should the dispute be settled before the Hamilton leg there was no guarantee absent players would be included in the squad.
Coach Paul Murunga told Kenya's Capital Sport that he was concentrating on training the younger players remaining in the squad and said: "I am disappointed, of course, but I have no control over it.
"If they get to agree then we will welcome them into the team but as for now as a coach I can only work with the guys coming for training. As times go, the junior players will get better.
"If they were there and if we started with them it would have been better. But now we have to manage with the younger players and give them confidence as we go on.”
KRU’s acting CEO Sylvia Kamau said: “We don’t can’t give salaries and big promises that we won’t meet but at the same time, we still want these players. It’s a catch-22 situation for us.”
Latest Comments
I’m looking forward to attending the Twickenham match, I don’t think it will have a bearing on the outcome of the grand prize itself but it will tell us more about each teams’ preparation and game plan. It’s hard to look past one of the big four (I’m including Canada) lifting the trophy in 2025 but sport is a curious thing, there will still be twists and turns in road ahead.
Go to commentsThe better side seems to be the losing side a lot these days. As far as narrative goes. Must be the big emergent culture of “participation awards” that have emerged in nanny states. ”It looked like New Zealand would take the game from there but lapses in execution let South Africa get back into the game. New Zealand’s goal kickers left five points out there, including a very make-able penalty on the stroke of half”. Sounds like a chronic problem… I wonder how the better team has lapses in concentration and execution? Or are those not important factors in the grand scheme of total performances? In 2023, the ABs at least didn’t give up a lead to lose. They just couldn’t execute to get the points and take the lead. This Baby AB result points to a choke - letting the game slip through your fingers. In the words of the great Ricky Bobby’s dad - “If you’re not 1st you’re last!” Loosely translated - if you didn’t win, you’re a loser.
Go to comments