Coach Olago to ring changes in squad ahead of Spain clash

• Scotland have five points followed by Uruguay with four points while USA and Zimbabwe have a point each.
• In other matches scheduled for Thursday, Samoa will open the day with Hong Kong at 10am before Uruguay and Zimbabwe battle at 12 pm. Scotland and USA will lock horns at 2pm before Kenya versus Spain duel at 4pm.

Kenya’s coach Curtis Olago will make a raft of changes in his squad that will play Spain in their second match of World Rugby Under-20 Trophy on Thursday at Nyayo National Stadium.

Kenya Under-20 team, christened “Chipu”  lost to Samoa 34-25 in their first match of Pool ‘B’  played on Saturday, while Spain beat Hong Kong 53-0 in the other match.

Spain and Scotland have five points each from their bonus point victories, but Spain top the standings on a superior aggregate of tries. Kenya are third in the group with a bonus point from the loss to Samoa.

“Samoa and Spain present different challenges, so we shall sit down and make changes to the team that will play to our advantage against Spain,” coach Olago said Monday after presiding over the team’s first training session at the KCB Ruaraka Sports Club in Nairobi.

“We are still studying our  Spanish opponents. We want to understand their weakness as well as their strengths so as to make informed decisions before naming the team on Wednesday,”  explained Olago.

He added that Spain plays a quick and  intense game and are tough, tactical and clinical with the ball.

Olago said the Kenyan squad  learnt key lessons in their defeat against Samoa.

“We are back to the grind to put in the hard work. We want to rectify some things to make the squad stronger,” said Olago.

The veteran coach said the top priority of the members of his technical bench is to register better performance against Spain.

“Ultimately, we need to win a game and earn points because that is what counts.”

Olago noted that his charges committed many mistakes against Samoa, some of which were unforced. He singled out mistakes in contact play, and lack of concentration as well as poor  execution as the things which cost the team victory in the match.

“Whenever your first match of the tournament is also your first training match because of not having had credible build up matches before the championships, one is bound to make mistakes,” said Olago.

“We are trying to get the work done, but we will go step by step.”

Olago noted that a significant chunk of last year’s squad joined the senior ranks, leaving a big gap to be filled.

“These boys are green and you could tell from their approach in the ruck, among other things but the good thing is that they are learning fast, and the best we can do is to keep on encouraging them and giving them resources,” said Olago.

Scotland top Pool ‘A’ after beating Zimbabwe 64-33.  Second-placed Uruguay beat former champions USA 33-31, thanks to a late try from Dante Soto and the accurate boot of Juan Carlos Canessa.

Scotland have five points followed by Uruguay with four points while USA and Zimbabwe have a point each.

In other matches scheduled for Thursday, Samoa will open the day with Hong Kong at 10am before Uruguay and Zimbabwe battle at 12 pm. Scotland and USA will lock horns at 2pm before Kenya versus Spain duel at 4pm.