Samurai Squad Confirmed For Dubai 7s

“It is great to be back in Dubai this year and the standard looks even higher than ever!” Martin Warburton, President, Samurai International

Samurai International were delighted to accept a late invitation to replace the Belgium national side on the International Invitational tournament that the men's team won six years in a row between 2010 and 2015 and the women's team won in 2016. For this year's tournament Samurai International have selected an experienced squad with six nations represented amongst the twelve players and including eight players with Sevens World Series experience. Five of the players recently played together in October as Samurai Barracudas won the Independence 7s in Nigeria.

The squad will be coached by former Samurai player and Welsh International Jevon Groves who has been released by the Hong Kong Rugby Union for this tournament. Jevon will be supported by Fahad Adil, the current Mwamba club team manager, from Kenya who will manage the team. The physio will be Kai Adams from Bury St Edmunds RFC who spent last summer working with the Samurai Bulldogs in the UK.

Samurai International Squad:

Humphrey Kayange* (Kenya)
Boyd Rouse* (Zimbabwe)
Phillip Kwame (Kenya)
Joshua Bassingthwaighte* (SA)
Vasco Mendez* (Portugal)
Pedro Leal* (Portugal)
Felix Ayange* (Kenya)
Nuno Guedes* (Portugal)
Lewan Bartels (SA)
Nazeem Wood (SA)
Tim Giresse (France)
Ze Lima* (Portugal)

*denotes International 7s honours

Updated 08:10 - 1 Sep 2019 by Mark Dean