South African rugby sevens legend Rosko Shane Specman has tipped Kenyan rugby for a bright future, describing the Kenya Morans as the next generation of superstars after their impressive run at the Safari 7s.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThe Morans, coached by Specman, popularly known as ‘Specmagic’, defeated Shogun Rugby 31-10 in the semifinals to set up an all-Kenyan final against Shujaa at Nyayo National Stadium. They fell 19-5 to Shujaa in the final.The final showcased the depth of talent available in Kenyan rugby.“We knew it was not going to be easy. The Morans have been together for a long time, but I see them as the next superstars of Kenyan rugby. As you could see, they were executing the game plan and doing exactly what their coach had asked them to do,” Specman said.Humphrey Kayange impressed with Kenya Sevens rebuild after relegationThe Morans were co-captained by Clinton Amukwachi and Dennis Ndayala, with six players making their debuts for the side during the tournament. The new faces were Mathias Osimbo, Stanslaus Shikoli, Patrick Kluivert, Mike Lukusi of Kabras Sugar, Harrison Mauve of Kisumu RFC and Brighton Omondi.They were complemented by the experience of Patrick Sabatia, Eugene Ojiambo, Arnold Agonda and Lucky Onyango, giving the squad a blend of youthful energy and experience as they sought to make a statement on home soil.For Specman, the tournament provided an opportunity to assess emerging talent while laying the foundations for a competitive side, despite the limited time available to prepare the players.##NAJAVA_MECA_10036881##“We have some young players in our squad whom we wanted to give an opportunity. We had only been together for a week, so our priority was to establish some structure, especially because the players came from different backgrounds,” he explained.The former South Africa international acknowledged that the competition was as much a learning experience for the players as it was for him, having taken on the coaching role with a group drawn from different rugby environments.“It was a good competition for the boys. For most of them, it was a learning curve, and it was also a learning experience for me as a new coach. I got to understand what works, what we need to improve on and what we need to do differently going forward,” Specman added.The former Blitzboks star brought a wealth of international experience to his coaching role, having enjoyed a distinguished career in both sevens and 15-a-side rugby. Born and raised in Grahamstown, Specman developed through the Eastern Province and Sharks systems before moving to the Pumas in 2013.Meet South Africa's fleet-footed beast who left fans in awe at 2026 Safari 7sHis rise in the sevens game began the following year when he joined South Africa's national sevens team, the Blitzboks, establishing himself as one of the most recognisable and respected players on the World Rugby Sevens Series.Specman was instrumental in South Africa's World Series triumphs in 2017 and 2018 and represented the country at the 2016 Rio and 2024 Paris Olympic Games, winning bronze medals on both occasions. His performances also earned him a nomination for the World Rugby Men's Sevens Player of the Year award in 2017.After returning to the 15-a-side game in 2019, he featured for several South African sides, including the Blue Bulls, Cheetahs, Stormers and Griquas, before making his Springboks debut in 2021. He played the full 80 minutes in South Africa's 40-9 victory over Georgia.Kevin Wambua welcomes squad selection headache ahead of HSBC SVNS 2
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