Menengai Oilers RFC head coach Gibson Weru has criticized the national U20 team, Chipu, for their inefficient play in set pieces, which he believes contributed to their heavy defeat against the Netherlands at the World Rugby U20 Trophy in Scotland. Chipu suffered a 51-3 loss to the Dutch in their second pool match, following a 25-7 loss to Uruguay in their opening game.
Weru pointed out that the team struggled significantly in line-outs and set pieces, both crucial elements of rugby that heavily impacted their performance. “From what I saw, I think we struggled in the line-outs and set pieces are a big part of the game. We could not gain an ascendancy defensively, and during our attacks, we struggled in the line-outs and lost a lot of possession,” Weru explained. He also noted deficiencies in the kicking game, which added to their challenges.
The coach emphasized that the Netherlands exploited these weaknesses effectively, using their strong kicking game to put Chipu under immense pressure and capitalize on possession losses. “I think the Netherlands had a very good kicking game which put us under so much pressure, and we ended up losing possession. Rugby is a game of playing with the ball, and we didn’t adapt to playing without the ball. We really struggled, and they had a game plan that worked for them,” Weru noted.
Weru suggested that the team needs more consistent and extended training camps to develop their skills adequately. “It’s not a matter of being in camp for three weeks; it’s a matter of being in camp for a long duration of time. These are young boys who develop over time, so they need to be in camp continuously over a period of time. If we can have them in camp for at least six months, then maybe that can translate to a result. We also need to ensure we play competitive games,” Weru advised.
He praised the potential of the current cohort of players, highlighting their involvement in the Kenya Cup as crucial for their development. “The caliber of players they have in that cohort is quite special and they need to be nurtured. If you look at most of them, they are playing in the Kenya Cup and they need to play at that level to compete better,” he added.
Chipu will face the USA on Friday, July 12, at 4:30 pm East African Time in their final group match, hoping to secure a win in the tournament.
