Talk:Innocent Simiyu

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Innocent Simiyu (born 24 April 1983) has been the head coach of the Kenya Sevens national rugby sevens team since Monday 17 October 2016. Simiyu, a former Kenya Sevens and Fifteens captain, was appointed head coach after the previous coach, Benjamin Ayimba's contract expired and was not renewed by the Kenya Rugby Union.

Profile
1998: Joins Nairobi School. Loves soccer and basketball but converts to rugby on the influence of elder brother Victor Sudi Simiyu ( a student at Dagoretti High School) who would later play and feature for Kenya Sevens and Fifteens around the same time as Innocent.

2001: Wins Eric Shirley Shield With Impala’s 2nd string side as a 4th former.

2002: Kenya Cup winner with Impala

Joins University of Nairobi to study actuarial science

Makes the Kenya Sevens provisional squad for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester but fails to make the final cut.

Debuts for the Kenya Simbas against Cameroon

Stars as the Simbas defeat Zimbabwe 19-12 on 28th September in Nairobi.

2003: Breaks into the Kenya Sevens team, features in the squad that claimed its first major scalp on the Sevens World Series with a 15-12 win over Australia on 29 March 2003 at the Hong Kong Sevens

Has a professional stint in Sri Lanka with the Army Club

2005: Selected for the African Leopards, a Pan –African representative team featuring the continent’s best players

2006: Graduates with a degree in actuarial science from the University of Nairobi

Makes the final Kenya Sevens squad for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne Has a professional stint with Exeter Rugby Club in England

Moves to Impala’s bitter rivals Kenya Harlequin

2007: Appointed Kenya Sevens captain

2008: Returns to Impala

Appointed Kenya Simbas captain, leads the Simbas to Elgon Cup victory over Uganda

2009: Is part of the Kenya team that pulls off a first ever win over New Zealand, a 14-12 result at the USA Sevens in San Diego on 14 February.

Features in the history making Kenya Sevens team that reaches a first ever Rugby World Cup Sevens cup semifinal in March

Scores twice as Kenya beat New Zealand 10-7 at the Hong Kong Sevens in March

Features as Kenya pull off a first ever win on the series against South Africa at the Adelaide Sevens. This match ends 15-14.

Kenya create history by reaching the cup final at the Adelaide Sevens, they lose 7-26 to South Africa. Simiyu is part of this team.

Wins Kenya Cup with Impala

2010: Captains the Kenya Simbas to their first ever win in Harare against Zimbabwe as the team completes the Victoria Cup series grand slam by beat Uganda and Zimbabwe home and away. The clash against Uganda doubled up as an Elgon Cup fixture.

Misses out on Commonwealth Games squad.

Voted Kenya Rugby Union Player of the Year and Ministry of Rugby Fans Player of the Year

Enrolls at the University of Nairobi for a Masters Degree course in Actuarial Science.

2011: Sustains a career threatening injury while playing for his franchise side Cheetahs in a Rugby Super Series clash against the Sharks. Faces a lengthy spell out on the sidelines after a dislocated knee and subsequent nerve damage

2012: Undertakes and completes his World Rugby level 1 & 2 coaching courses

Appointed Impala Saracens Head Coach, guides team to position 8 in the 2012/13 Kenya Cup season

Graduates from the University of Nairobi with a Masters Degree In Actuarial Science

2013: Backs Coach, Cheetahs Franchise- Rugby Super Series, the Cheetahs reached the semifinal

Head Coach, Chairman’s Select, team reached Safari Sevens bowl final

2014: Returns to playing active rugby, steers Impala to Christie Sevens final

Wins the Sports Personality of The Year (SOYA) Award for Comeback of the year

2016: Earns a recall to the Kenya Simbas, features in the home test against Uganda as well as the historic 61-15 win away to Zimbabwe and the 21-56 loss to Namibia in Windhoek. Captains Kenya “A” against Hong Kong, injures his Achilles tendon.

Monday 17 October 2016: Officially unveiled as the Kenya Sevens Head Coach for a two year period. — Preceding unsigned comment added by KenyaRugby (talk • contribs) 13:21, 20 October 2016 (UTC)