Kenya may have won the Plate at the Emirates Airline South Africa Sevens in George last weekend, but for captain Innocent Simiyu this success is only the starting point for the African nation in the 2007/08 IRB Sevens World Series.
The Kenyans reached the Cup quarter-finals in both tournaments on the opening leg of the Series, narrowly losing 17-15 to South Africa in Dubai after an incredible second half fightback and then 24-12 to eventual runners-up Fiji in George.
They also stunned England in their Pool encounter at Outeniqua Park, Simiyu leading by example with two tries in a 17-7 victory after the Kenyans had made New Zealand work hard for a 19-0 win in their opening match.
Kenya therefore have 12 points from the opening two tournaments and share fifth spot with England, a vast improvement on last season when they failed to pick up any points from the legs in Dubai and George.
However Simiyu and his team-mates are not about to sit back and rest on their laurels as they intend to pick up where they left off when the Series resumes with the New Zealand leg in Wellington in February.
"It is the beginning for us, it is the first time we have won a Plate tournament in George and we are looking forward to improving on our achievements in the future," Simiyu told irbsevens.com after beating USA 15-14 in the final.
"One of the goals we did put on ourselves this year was consistency and with that our main goal was to reach all the quarter-finals of the eight tournaments, so it is a good start because we have achieved our first two goals."
Kenya reached three Cup quarter-finals in 2006/07 - in Wellington, Adelaide and Edinburgh - with a first ever last four appearance in the Australian leg. Simiyu, though, ultimately has his sights set even higher.
"We have a dream of winning a tournament this year and I hope it will come true."
