NAIROBI, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's rugby head coach Paul Murunga said Friday that Kenya may not secure automatic qualification for the Olympic Games owing to its poor start to the World Series.
The team, which finished eighth in last season's campaign, could only manage one point in Dubai, the first leg of the rugby sevens World Series. This meant the team finished last out of the 14 teams that took part.
Kenya's performance will be put to test again this weekend in Cape Town, the second stop of the 10-leg World Series circuit and coach Murunga has reacted by bringing on board Vincent Onyala and Cyprian Kuto to seal his leaky defense.
The top four teams in the series will qualify for the Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. Kenya benefitted from this automatic qualification in 2015 when they finished top four.
"We are not strong enough to challenge. Our youth team has been baptized by fire and they need to build from it and focus on the work ahead. We planned for 10 points in each leg, but we only had one," said Murunga.
Alongside the four top countries from the sevens World Series, six teams qualify by finishing first in their respective continental championships - Europe, Africa, Oceania, Asia, South America, and North America to join the host and another team that wins a special inter-continental competition.
In South Africa, Kenya is in Pool C where they have to navigate their way past Olympic champions Fiji, France and England to make it to the tourney's main cup contest.
Kenya had lost to Fiji 12-43 and France 17-21 in Dubai and will be keen to secure revenge.
"There are no easy teams at this level of competition and we have just to work extra hard. The group is a strong one but we have to look at our own talent and strength," said the coach.
Kenya captain Eden Agero hoped his side will overcome their dreadful start to post their first win of the season in Cape Town.
The coach has also reshuffled the team in Cape Town. This is after one of the top players Jeff Oluoch returned home. Eric Ogweno, the team manager, said Oluoch had personal issues to deal with.
"Unfortunately we won't have Jeff in Cape Town, but the coach now has Cyprian (Kuto) and Vincent (Onyala) to provide the cover in defense," said Ogweno.
Dubai sevens champions New Zealand are seeded top to play hosts South Africa, Samoa and Zimbabwe as United States lead in pool B and will battle Argentina, Spain and Japan. The Australia are seeded top in a group that has Scotland, Canada and Wales.
