Sevens: Paul Feeney reflects on coaching journey from Auckland to Kenya and everywhere in between

Paul Feeney's coaching career has taken him across the globe. Photo / Getty Images

Paul Feeney is not your average coach on the Sevens World Series.

The former Blues and Stormers Super Rugby coach has only been at the helm of Kenyan Rugby for three months, but already he's led the men's sevens side to Olympic Games qualification.

Kenya is the latest stop in a coaching career that has led the Kiwi from Auckland to Fiji, France, Japan and South Africa, working in both sevens and the 15-man game.

Feeney was appointed the technical director of Kenyan Rugby in September last year, with an immediate focus on the men's sevens team and their Olympics bid. He tells the Herald the past few months have involved plenty of lessons, particularly in the first two events of the Sevens World Series.

"I've been there three months – all the other coaches of teams around the world have been there for years," he says. "They've got all their structures, they know who their lineup is; I'm just figuring all that out at the moment and giving everyone an opportunity. It's the only fair thing to do.

"Dubai and Cape Town was a big step up and it was a great learning curve for me as a coach. I think I learned more than our players did in those first two tournaments. I'd like to think I'm up to speed now and we're into it."

Feeney is one of the four million people living in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, where he relocated to from South Africa. Feeney spent a year working as the Blues' skills coach under Tana Umaga in 2016 before moving on to an assistant coaching role with the Stormers.

A long way removed from the home shores of New Zealand, Feeney has embraced the change in scenery – both the good and the bad.

"I enjoy seeing different cultures and living in different areas, going a bit deeper into Africa, it's been special for me. They're a good bunch of guys. Kenyan people are very friendly and fun-loving and I'm looking forward to the next six months building up to the Olympics.

"Nairobi is a big city; four million people. There's a lot of infrastructure going in, the traffic is horrendous - we train at six in the morning to beat the traffic and we're normally done by 12."

Feeney is back on home soil this week leading the Kenyan men's team into the Hamilton Sevens, and taking a moment to reflect on his coaching journey to date, he says turning his passion into a job has been a special thing.

"I'm lucky aren't I? My job is my passion and I get to see different places around the world where people normally have to pay and travel to be a tourist.

"Living there and immersing yourself, you really see the culture of the country and get to know what the people are like. I consider myself very fortunate; I'm honoured to be able to coach the Kenyan sevens side."