NAIROBI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Barely one year into his job as head coach of Kenya Sevens team, South African Paul Treu has thrown in the towel.
However, the 43-year-old will be on the bench when Kenya lines up against his native South Africa, Wales and USA in Pool at the Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens in Port Elizabeth.
This will be the third stop in the nine-leg International Rugby Board (IRB) World Series after Gold Coast and Dubai.
A statement from Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) said Treu will step down from his role as Kenya Sevens Performance Director and head coach after this weekend's Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
"It has been a very difficult decision, but I believe it is the right decision for me at this stage in my life," said Treu in a statement.
"It has just been over a year since I accepted the offer from the Kenya Rugby Union to take charge of the team. We have experienced interesting times that is for sure. We have had challenges, highs and lows," Treu added.
"We know that this is the nature of sport and the game of rugby that we all love. If it was too easy, we wouldn't know the joy of achieving our goals and knowing we worked hard to make them happen."
The former South Africa rugby sevens coach had a clear task to take Kenya team on a three-year contract until the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Prior to taking over from Englishman Mike Friday (Now USA coach), Treu had resigned as the Springbok (South Africa) coach in August 2013.
He brought along a team of coaches from South Africa with compatriot Vuyo Zangqa acting as his deputy coach.
Only Felix Ochieng from Kenya worked in his board and took charge of the team during the Gold Coast and Dubai legs of the 2013/2014 season, as Treu prepared to assume his role.
Treu, who is in South Africa with the Kenya team, lauded KRU and its Chairman Mwangi Muthee for granting him the opportunity to guide the team in the IRB World Series.
"I commend you for your leadership during some challenging times," he said.
Treu experienced turbulent times during his tenure including player boycott as he tried to restructure the team to introduce professionalism in the team and improve its performance and consistence in the World Series.
When he took over Kenyan team a year ago, the team had finished fourth in the IRB World Series under Mike Friday, but last season, they ended up seventh. This year, Kenya has only had four points in the first two legs missing out on the Main Cup.
With the first four teams gaining automatic qualification to the Rio 2016 games, the trend of performance in the first two legs showed, he was out of pace. However, KRU Chairman remained behind his man in the hard times.
"I must thank Paul for the professional manner in which he has conveyed his decision to me. Personally I admire his bravery of venturing into unfamiliar waters; leaving the comforts of an advanced rugby nation such as South Africa. A lot of Kenyans respect and will salute him for that," Muthee said.
"We saw a man determined to succeed, we shared his vision. His character and discipline was remarkable and should rest assure that there are many who learnt from him. Paul will leave a mark and a foundation on which the country' s Sevens development program can build," he added.
Treu, 43, was coach of the South African sevens team since 2004 after playing for the side as sweeper and captain from 1999 to 2002.
Apart from Zangqa, Treu's technical bench included compatriots Graham Bentz as strength and conditioning coach and Karen Schwabbe, as head of sports medicine.
Muthee did not elaborate on who will take over the team next year when the IRB Sevens World Series resumes.
