The country’s rugby governing body Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) is set to relieve current Shujaa head coach Damian McGrath of his duties just 14 months into his appointment, Mozzart Sport can exclusively reveal.
The Englishman was officially unveiled back on 14 May 2022 where he signed a contract that was to see him take charge of the men’s national sevens side until the Paris 2024 Olympics set for France from 26 July to 11 August 2024.
However, that will not be the case following KRU’s decision to part ways with the coach especially after Shujaa suffered relegation from the prestigious HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series – now known as HSBC SVNS – in the 2023 season where they finished in thirteenth place – one of the automatic relegation places.
McGrath, who boasts close to thirty years coaching experience with stints as head coach for Germany, Canada, Samoa and England 7s, oversaw the team in the last three outings in the 2022 HSBC Sevens Series before leading the side in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens.
The team finished joint seventh in Birmingham and twelfth in the Rugby World Cup in South Africa.
It is in the 2023 season that the team hit an all time low as they were relegated from the Series for the first time since 2003/2004.
Mozzart Sport understands that both McGrath and his assistant Kevin Wambua will be replaced by a local coach.
The immediate task of the new coaching unit will be in the 2023 Rugby Africa men’s sevens competition set for 16-17 September in Zimbabwe as they seek to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The winners of the 2023 African Cup will get an automatic ticket to the Paris Olympics, while the second and third placed teams will have to go through a final qualification Repechage tournament in June 2024 whose winner will take the final spot.
