NAIROBI, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Former Kenya captain Innocent Simiyu is the new Kenya Sevens rugby head coach taking over from Benjamin Ayimba, the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) confirmed on Monday.
The 33-year-old, who captained Kenya Sevens between 2006 and 2008 and the 15s side from 2008 to 2011, sustained a career-threatening knee injury in 2011 playing local rugby, but went successfully through the rehabilitation and returned to the pitch in 2014.
A statement from Kenya Rugby Union Chairman Richard Omwela on Monday confirmed Simiyu as the new coach ending speculation that the country would appoint another foreigner to lead the team in the International Rugby Board (IRB) World Series.
"Simiyu replaces Benjamin Ayimba while Erick Ogweno takes over the docket previously held by Newton Ong'alo. Ian Gibbons will be the new strength and conditioning coach while Lameck Bogonko retains his slot as team physio," said Omwela.
Kenya had eyed former New Zealand Sevens tactician Gordon Tietjens for the post but he opted to sign up with Samoa. Tietjens was to have Simiyu as his assistant coach but after he declined to take up the job, KRU had no option but to hand it to Simiyu.
Tietjens was to be the third foreign coach in the last four years after Briton Mike Friday, who handled the team for the 2012 and 2013 seasons and South African Paul Treu, who was in charge in the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Former Fiji coach Ben Ryan had also applied for the job after he had led his former side to Rio Olympic Games gold.
