Legendary Tietjens heads shortlist for Kenya 7s job

With one day to go before the Kenya Sevens coaching job application deadline, Kenya Rugby Union seems to have already narrowed down to four names for the top national team job.

The position, which was advertised a few weeks ago, has attracted attention from all over the world with legendary former New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens and Englishman Ben Ryans, who led Fiji to Olympic gold in Rio, emerging as favourites to succeed Benjamin Ayimba whose contract is due to expire tomorrow.

Tietjens ended his illustrious 22-year coaching career with the New Zealand after the All Blacks’ failed Rio Olympic campaign, while Ryans stepped down as Fiji coach after guiding them to the country’s first Olympics gold in Rio.

However, it is not yet over for Ayimba as he is still on KRU’s radar alongside former Australia coach and player Michael O’Connor.

Addressing the Press on the sidelines of the 21st edition of the Safari Sevens at Kasarani Stadium, KRU Chairman Richard Omwela could neither confirm nor deny that the union has contacted some foreigners with a section of board members rooting for Tietjens.

“I haven’t talked to Tietjens and I don’t know where that is coming from. If it is sources, then those sources are not from the union. We have not made any official announcement that we are talking to Tietjens,” said Omwela.

"If you are hearing from somewhere else please talk to those people who are bringing him."

Omwela said they know some members had reached out to Tietjens, but as a board they had not contacted him.

"The contracts of many coaches around the world have ended. Ben Ryan’s-contract with Fiji ended with the Olympics and he has decided that he is not engaging with them. We know that Michael O’Connor is out of contract, so is Ayimba. But that doesn’t mean we are going for foreigners, but whoever sends out filler and is available.

“We have had foreigners before, we didn’t get the results we wanted. We had locals, we got some results."