South African Paul packs his bags after a tumultous stint as Kenyan rugby Sevens team coach

kenya national rugby sevens team coach Paul Treu during his arrival l at the jomo keyatta international airport on tuesday morning with the team from the 1st leg of HSBC Rugby series in gold coast in australia.PHOTO DAVID GICHURU

National sevens coach Paul Treu will step down from his position after this weekend’s Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens in South Africa.

The South African informed Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) of his decision to step down on Thursday and though he did not cite any reasons, the country’s poor show at the Dubai Sevens could have pushed him away.

In a statement posted on the KRU website, Treu said it has been a very difficult decision, to make but believes it was  the right decision for him at this stage in life.

His statement said:”It has just been over a year since I accepted the offer from the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) to take charge of the team. We have experienced interesting times, that is for sure.

“We have had challenges; highs and lows. We know that this is the nature of sport and the game of rugby that we all love. If it was not too easy, we wouldn’t know the joy of achieving our goals and knowing we worked hard to make them happen.”

He thanked the Kenya Rugby Union and its Chairman Mwangi Muthee saying, “ I commend you for your leadership during some challenging times.”

Muthee thanked Treu for his service, saying, “ 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. “We saw a man determined to succeed, his, his vision, character and discipline were remarkable and should rest sure 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 on.”

Speaking separately from Paris, Muthee said he is disappointed by Treu’s resignation and insisted that the conditions which forced him to take that decision must be dismantled.

“The struggle will continue. We have to go on with the building process which we started with him. However, we must also ensure that the conditions which forced him to quit are done away with for us to progress,” he said.

He accused certain officials in the Union of not appreciating coaches. “These are the experts but unfortunately, some people do not appreciate them. We must learn to embrace and work with them because they know better,” he pointed out.