Your scribe's admiration Kenyan sportsmen is based on hard earned experience--my abiding memory of some of the world's greatest runners was that although they were great athletes they were also humble men because they knew whilst they were pushing back human barriers somebody was coming down the track behind them who would do better


Scotland 7s 17, Kenya 7s 19
The Scotland 7s team fell out of the second tier plate competition at the Emirates Airline Edinburgh 7s today as they couldn’t contain a lively and determined Kenyan side.

Scotland 7s coach Stephen Gemmell said: “I thought for long periods of time that we had it. Kenya are big powerful guys and capitalised on a few unforced errors.”

Reflecting on Scotland’s 2006/07 IRB Sevens World Series campaign, Gemmell added: “It’s been an honour to coach this team. We’ve come a long way since we started out in Dubai in December.

“This series has been a success for us as a country. It’s the first time we’ve beaten a top four team and we’ve achieved the biggest points haul for a Scotland team.

Commenting on the return of international rugby sevens to the country of its birth, Scotland, Gemmell concluded: “The work that has been put in to making the Edinburgh 7s a success is second to none and I’m positive that all the teams will agree that this event is up there with the best in the world.”

With just under a minute on the clock, Colin Shaw and Roddy Grant formed a rolling maul. Shaw slipped out from underneath and had the pace to finish. Adamson missed the conversion.

Colin Gregor then executed a delightful chip and chase, but as he failed to collect the ball, a Kenyan counter attack saw Collins Injera level the scores.

Hard work, excellent handling and superb support play gave Scotland the platform from which to pull back into the lead.

As defenders were soaked up out wide, Ben Cairns tried to slice through under the posts, but as he was brought down, Forrest was in support to go over. Adamson converted.

Shaw then struck again when Ben Addison sent a long pass out wide. Shaw managed to beat his opposite man for pace and dive over at the corner.

The first blood of the second half went to Kenya who, with tricky footwork from Humphrey Kayange, came right back into the game.

Then, in the last minute of the game, Gibson Weru Kahuthia levelled the scores. The conversion in front of the posts was successful to hand the Kenyans a Plate final tie with Fiji.

This article was originally posted on 3-Jun-2007, 17:44 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 3-Jun-2007, 20:21.