Kenya rugby finds itself at crossroads with infighting within the governing unions' ranks, sustained dispute with senior national sevens team players and rivaling sponsors playing out in the public domain.

Despite attempts by Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chairman Mwangi Muthee, to paint a rosy picture; the sport and particularly their most famous export, the national sevens team is on an upward trajectory, unfolding events are threatening to bring the game to its knees.

On Wednesday, South African rugby sevens head coach Paul Treu is scheduled to name a new look squad for the opening round of the 2014/15 HSBC World Sevens Series ahead of their trip the following day to South Africa for a camp to prepare for Australia's Gold Coast 7s tournament that runs from Oct. 11-12.

This season's eight-round global circuit competition has assumed added importance since the first four finishers will gain automatic entry for the 2016 Rio Olympics where rugby 7s will make a debut.

Despite boasting of a talented group of players capable of challenging for the coveted berth, internal rows within KRU, technical bench and 18 senior players axed from the team last week threatens to cause an implosion of their ambitions.

It all started a fortnight ago when news filtered through players were on strike ahead of the international invitational Safaricom Safari 7s that concluded last weekend in Nairobi with the Welsh Warriors bagging the Main Cup as the home teams, Shujaa, Moran and Simba Saba failed to progress past the quarters.

SENIOR PLAYERS CULLED

KRU then moved to cull 18 senior players from the squad available for selection in the three sides from where Treu was to draw his travelling party for Gold Coast, among them record try scorer, Collins Injera with the regulars opposed to the Union's plan to introduce performance based in place of central contracts.

His elder brother and veteran star, Humphrey Kayange, a poster boy for International Rugby Board to push for the inclusion of sevens rugby at the Olympics, Patrice Agunda, Biko Adema, Horace Otieno, Oscar Ouma, Philip Wamae, Dan Sikuta, Dennis Ombachi, Billy Odhiambo, Michael Agevi, Tony Owuor, Michael Wanjala, Felix Ayange, Oscar Ayodi, Eden Agero, Sammy Oliech and Lavin Asego were others dropped from the squad.

"All players must know the game is becoming very competitive and nobody can claim monopoly of saying they cannot be challenged, we must give everybody a chance.

"Issues of indiscipline will not be tolerated in any circles of cause I always advocate for dialog between squads, management and technical bench but nobody should negotiate holding a trigger," Muthee declared as the teams for Safari 7s were named last Wednesday.

As the Kenyan sides struggled to impose themselves against 16 foreign sides on Saturday, the affected players released a statement claiming the Union was disseminating "Some incorrect information appearing in the local media (and) we have made a decision to come out to set the record straight."

"It is always a proud moment playing in front of the fans back at home. But, as you know, some of the players are not part of these three teams and we would like to state the reasons why the players are not donning the Kenya shirts," they declared.

According to them, they reported for training on Sept.15 and were informed by the team manager their contracts had been cancelled and were under review with August salaries yet to be remitted to their accounts.

The senior players then supposedly met and raised concerns hinged on contract cancellation without prior notice, delayed August salaries, medical cover and player welfare, retainer for the new players called up to the team and end of year bonus deductions.

"After a lengthy meeting with the technical bench, we came up with solutions and agreed the training program would continue with no further delays. We also agreed that the contracted players should wait for the August salaries to reflect in their accounts by Sept. 22," the players added.

Whilst acknowledging the salaries were paid out on the due date and new players received their stipend, the seniors alleged the Union had not addressed their concerns on medical cover and end of year bonuses.

GOVERNMENT STEPS IN

Earlier this month, the government was forced to step in and pledge to reimburse Kayange after footing the costs of a knee operation in South Africa for an injury sustained whilst playing for Kenya at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in August.

The injury ruled him out for three months in a case that grated senior players with KRU and National Olympics Committee-Kenya dithering over who was responsible for his medical insurance.

"This was surprising. After what seemed to be a very positive meeting on Saturday, the tone changed because we were informed that we could not negotiate anymore," said the players.

"When the tone changed, we felt it was not fair and all we needed was an explanation and a commitment that the issues we raised would be addressed," the players stressed refuting suggestions they had declined to discuss with KRU.

However, the Union pressed on without them and devoid of the regulars, the annual domestic showpiece that was in its 19th edition failed to pack to the rafters as is custom after being moved to the 60,000-seater Kasarani Stadium in the outskirts of Nairobi.

"The roughly 35,000 on Saturday and almost 20,000 on Sunday may have looked to be in a half-empty or half-full, whichever way you look at it, stadium," Muthee said.

"But those were comparable crowds to attendances in Gold Coast, Dubai, South Africa, Wellington, Edinburgh and Las Vegas and certainly bigger than in Tokyo and Moscow at the World Cup last year. The only bigger attendances are in Twickenham and Hong Kong," he added.

Bubbling under the surface, two of the events main sponsors, integrated communications firm Safaricom who hold the title and East Africa Breweries Limited through their Tusker brand clashed with the latter accusing the former of ordering the event to be closed early on Sunday in a move to ensure their products do not get much visibility in a planned after-party.

This was deemed by many fans of flying in the face of rugby culture where the game, alcohol and music mix in a party atmosphere with many purists of the game in Kenya's capital also opposed to moving the event from its traditional venue of Ngong Road to the Kasarani Stadium sponsored and branded by Safaricom.

The latest twist of the tale emerged on Tuesday when Union secretary general, Eddie Omondi, sent out a press release denying KRU's board sat to deliberate Safaricom 7s after Muthee issued a statement the evening earlier thanking all those involved in the event.

"I wish to clarify that the board of the Union has not met or deliberated any matter related to the 2014 Safaricom Sevens. As such the statement issued by the chairman, is made in his individual capacity and not on behalf of the Board of the Kenya Rugby Union. The Board of the Union shall duly issue a statement once it has met over the matter," Omondi wrote exposing sharp divisions in the Union.

As the winding saga enters a third week with hard line positions adopted by protagonists in the matter, it remains to be seen whether Kenya 7s will be set to launch their World Series campaign on a high note in Pool B against fellow African giants, South Africa, Wales and debutants American Samoa, leave alone a sustained shot at Olympics qualification.