NAIROBI, Kenya, March 19 – The Kenya Rugby Union said on Tuesday it had reached an agreement with seven dissenting players to return to the national team for the remainder of the World Sevens Series season.

Kenya have been forced to field a team of inexperienced players in the opening six rounds, after the KRU and the senior squad members failed to strike a deal over new salary contracts before the start of the campaign.

The exiled players, including all-time leading try scorer Collins Injera and former national team captain Andrew Amonde, had refused to take a 50 percent pay cut in terms offered by the cash-strapped KRU but will return for the final four legs of the series.

“The Kenya Rugby Union held a meeting with the senior Shujaa players (who participated in the 2017/2018 World Sevens Series) and agreed to terms on a return to work formula for the remaining part of the season,” the KRU said in a statement.

Kenya face the threat of losing their full-time place in the Sevens World Series as they sit in 14th place, four points above Japan in the relegation spot.

The next leg of the series takes place in Hong Kong, where the Shujaa finished second in 2018, between April 5-7.