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The Kenya Sevens great has weighed in on the changes that have seen the legs reduced to eight with champions set to be determined differently
Kenya Sevens legend Collins Injera has backed the new format of the World Rugby Sevens Series which saw the legs reduced from 11 to eight.
In the new format, the Sevens Series will be known as SVNS and will start in Dubai in December before heading to Cape Town, Perth, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Singapore and complete in Madrid in June. The Spanish capital has been added to the series with London and Paris scrapped.
From the changes, the top eight teams after the Singapore leg will compete in a winner-take-all final, for both men and women, at the season-ending Madrid leg and Injera, the second-highest try scorer in the World Rugby Sevens Series with 279, feels the new format will benefit players.
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06:31 - 19.07.2023
RUGBY What will Shujaa need to earn promotion following World Rugby’s major changes to Sevens Series?
Shujaa have a tough route back to the World Sevens Series after the sports governing body introduced a new format starting next season.
“With 10 legs, it was more taxing to the body, it meant more travel and recovery was less. Some teams were suffering because of the long miles they had to travel and the high cost involved,” Injera told Pulse Sports.
“But now with eight, it is not bad because it means there is more recovery time and the players are more focused. When I started playing, we were playing in fewer legs like these. It increases the competitiveness of the series.”
The London leg was among those scrapped by Word Rugby despite being one of the popular rounds of the series and Injera feels it has robbed players an opportunity to play at one of the finest grounds.
“Twickenham is an iconic stadium. There is that prestige of playing at the ‘Home of Rugby’ and the leg was popular. I am not sure why they scrapped it,” he added.
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07:37 - 19.07.2023
RUGBY Kenya Sevens legend Collins Injera secures new job in public service
The former Shujaa star has traded the private sector for public service after his highly decorated rugby career.
In the new format, the teams ranked ninth to 12th in the World Series after Singapore will join the top four teams from the second-tier World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series in a high-stakes relegation play-off competition which will see the top four teams secure their places in the next edition of SVNS.
The four unsuccessful teams from the relegation playoff will go into the regional competitions to qualify for the next Challenger Series, which comprises 12 men's and 12 women’s teams, competing in the second level of international rugby sevens.
Kenya, who were relegated from the World Series last season, will need to finish in the top four in the 2024 Challenger Series to make it to the relegation/promotion playoff in Madrid and ensure they are among the four best teams again to regain their place in the top tier for the 2025 season.
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