Kenya Sevens legend and Olympics Kenya athletes representative Humphrey Kayange is among six new faces that have been inducted into the World Rugby Hall of fame.
Kayange was one of the figures that played a crucial role as Shujaa won its first and only ever Main Cup title at the World Rugby Sevens tour in Singapore in 2016. He was also key in seeing rugby get back to the Olympic Games and also featured for Kenya in their debut at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Kayange also played in Rio but he and RWC Sevens 2009 winning captain McAfee (nee Soon) were members of the World Rugby bid team that convinced the International Olympic Committee members to elect rugby sevens to the Olympic programme in October 2009. This year, Kayange was elected to the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission and as an IOC Member, furthering rugby’s voice within the Olympic movement.
Humprey Kayange was the military team Ulinzi RFC player. He was part of the Kenya Cup league. Unfortunately, the team was later disbanded, which made him move to Mwamba RFC. He became part of the Kenyan squad that played in the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens that reached the semifinals. He was later nominated for IRB Sevens Player of the Year back in 2009. But that was not all; he went on to join the Kenya national rugby union team(15s) and played at the 2011 World Cup Qualifiers. He announced his retirement back in October 2016, informing his fans that he was retiring from the Kenyan rugby sevens team at the age of 34. This marked the end of his active involvement in the sport, especially as far as international sporting was concerned.
Others who have been inducted into the hall of fame alongside Kayange include Fijian Osea Kolinisau, Huriana Manuel-Carpenter (New Zealand), Cheryl McAfee (Australia), Will Carling (England) and Jim Telfer (Scotland). The World Rugby Hall of Fame recognises those who have made an outstanding contribution to the game of rugby throughout their careers, demonstrating rugby’s character-building values of integrity, passion, solidarity, discipline and respect on and off the field.
The six inductees excel within two themes selected by the Hall of Fame panel for 2021, rugby sevens and the Olympic Games in a big Olympic year, and the 150th anniversary of the first international match between Scotland and England in March 1871. Kolinisau captained Fiji to their first-ever Olympic medal with gold at Rio 2016, while Manuel-Carpenter won silver with New Zealand as rugby sevens made its Olympic debut in Brazil.
In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the first international match, one player from England and Scotland will be inducted in former grand-slam winning England captain Will Carling and legendary former Scotland captain and coach Jim Telfer.
World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “On behalf of World Rugby, I would like to congratulate our six Hall of Fame inductees, who did not just make their mark on the field of play, but who has played a significant role in advancing the sport. In this Olympic year, we are recognising those who have all played a significant role in cementing rugby as an Olympic sport. Their contributions should not be underestimated in terms of the global growth of rugby. We are also acknowledging the contributions of those who have left their mark on the oldest international fixture in the game.”
Fellow World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee (No.6) and Chairman of the Hall of Fame panel John Eales said: “The 2021 inductees for the World Rugby Hall of Fame are representative of all that is good in our game. Each of them have been outstanding players in either sevens or 15s and they have also been important contributors to rugby, in their own countries and globally, off the field."