NAIROBI, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's team Shujaa are out to make a better start to the 2017/18 World Rugby Sevens Series on the weekend of Dec. 1 and 2 in Dubai following a dispiriting campaign last season when they slumped to 12th overall.

Speaking on Friday when he named the squad for the opening leg of the campaign, head coach Innocent Simiyu noted that earlier preparations had placed the team in a better position than when he took charge last season.

The former rugby sevens and 15s Kenyan captain is optimistic they will make the Main Cup quarters from a tough group that also includes Series winners South Africa, neighbours Uganda and Canada.

In place of the injured seasoned captain, Andrew Amonde, Simiyu gave the armband to Oscar Ayodi with namesake Oscar Ouma deputising as center Herman Hamwa who plays for local club, SportPesa Quins was handed his debut.

Kenya will be using the series to prepare for the 2018 Rugby Sevens World Cup in San Francisco, United States and are keen to make the first Series Main Cup final since May 2016 when Shujaa won Singapore 7s. Enditem

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