Kenya captures 2016 Singapore Sevens with 30-7 win

Kenyan players celebrate after beating Fiji 30-7 during the cup final at the Singapore Sevens rugby tournament on April 17, 2016. AFP PHOTO | ROSLAN RAHMAN 

By AYUMBA AYODI

In Summary

• It was Kenya’s first Cup final appearance this season after having reached the semi-final in Cape Town to finish fourth overall.
• The last time Kenya faced Fiji was in the previous leg of Hong Kong where they lost 10-12 in the Cup quarters.

Kenya Sevens finally made history Sunday by stunning Fiji 30-7 to win the Singapore Sevens, their maiden title at World Sevens Series at the Singapore National Stadium.

Kenya had reached the cup final two times before in 2008/2009 World Sevens Series in Adelaide and 2012/2013 Wellington leg.

Kenya becomes the only other African team to win a leg in the World Sevens Series after regulars South Africa.

“It’s a great feeling, having work so hard to reach at this point,” said an elated Kenya Sevens skipper Andrew Amonde.

Player-of-the final Collins Injera, landed a brace of tries while Oscar Ayodi, Samuel Oliech, Nelson Oyoo and Frank Wanyama supplemented with one try each as Kenya completely locked out Fiji virtually the whole final.

Injera now goes to within five tries of Argentina's Santiago Gomez Cora at the top of the all-time try scoring charts with 230 tries.

It was Injera’s penalty from 40m at the hooter that propelled Kenya to the final after they edged out Argentina 15-13.

This Kenya’s first cup final appearance this season but their third ever in the World Sevens Series.

It’s during the 2008/2009 Adelaide Sevens where Kenya made it to their maiden cup final before losing to South Africa 7-26.

Benjamin Ayimba was the coach by then in a season where Injera emerged the top try scorer, having crossed the line 42 times but was surprisingly not declared player of the series.

Their second cup final came during in 2012/2013 during Mike Friday’s time.