Vincent Onyala, co-captain of the Shujaa rugby team, has expressed deep frustration following the team’s inability to travel for the International Dubai Invitational tournament scheduled for this weekend.
The Kenya Rugby Union released a statement on Thursday attributing the cancellation to “logistical challenges” that impeded Kenya’s journey to Dubai.
Onyala speculated about the difficulties faced by the Lionesses, emphasizing the challenges they encountered in previous Dubai tournaments.
He pointed out the logistical complexities, citing instances where the Lionesses struggled to arrive on time, impacting their performance. Onyala reflected on the Lionesses’ struggle to attain core team status due to difficulties such as arriving just an hour before games and, at times, going into a match without proper warm-up.
With Kenya Sevens facing relegation from the HSBC World Rugby Sevens series last season, Onyala highlighted the financial constraints resulting from the demotion.
He noted that funding issues and a lack of prior planning were significant factors contributing to the unconfirmed participation in the Dubai tournament.
Looking ahead, the KCB playmaker mentioned that Shujaa’s focus would now shift towards preparations for the upcoming Challenger Series scheduled for January 2024.
