Kenya Sevens ace Collins Injera has described his induction to Fiji’s Rugby Town Walk of Fame in Sigatoka as a humbling experience.
Rugby Town Walk of Fame, which was launched in 2011, is an exclusive honour to some of the world’s best rugby players who have helped change the game.
Injera, who became the 12th person to be honoured in Fiji’s famous rugby playing town of Sigatoka, is the second African player after South Africa’s Bryan Habana to be feted with the honour.
He is Kenya’s all-time World Sevens Series top try scorer and second highest try scorer at the World Sevens Series with 271 tries.
Injera’s elder brother, Humphrey Kayange was the first Kenyan to be inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2021.
The brothers were in the historic Kenya Sevens team that lifted the 2016 Singapore Sevens title, the country’s first ever victory in the World Rugby Sevens Series.
“Being honoured over 15,200 kilometres away from home is simply the best feeling in my rugby career,” Injera said.
“It’s not just some rugby honour from another country but the world’s best rugby sevens nation.”
Injera noted that it’s only in athletics where Kenyans are honoured outside the country. “This one feels special,” said Injera, who was accompanied by his wife, Chebet Limo.
Also inducted was Fijian great Noa Nadruku, who starred in the 90s, before branching out to Australia’s National Rugby League where he played for the Canberra Raiders.
“It shows that as long as you are plying your trade well, someone somewhere will see and appreciate it,” Injera said.
“When a sevens rugby-mad country that has won two Olympic gold medals and World Cup Sevens honours you, then all isn’t in vain.”
Injera said that he is still in shock at the reception he was accorded right down the villages in Sigatoka.
“It made me feel that we don’t have as many rugby fans as I thought in Kenya. It was amazing that they all knew me. I now have a different perception of what I thought Fiji was…it simply blew up my mind,” said the 26-year-old.
Fiji, the 2016 Rio Olympic Games gold medalists, is the only team to be inducted in the Rugby Town Walk of Fame.
Others who have been honoured since 2011 include legendary New Zealand All Black legend, the late Jonah Lomu (2013), Fijian legend Waisale Serevi (2012), former Argentina international Ben Collings and former All Blacks skipper Derek Jamie “DJ” Forbes.
