Sir Gordon Tietjens has rejected media reports that he’s heading to Kenya this weekend for talks to take over at the helm of the Kenya Sevens team. The decorated former All Blacks Sevens coach however confirmed he has spoken to Kenyan officials in the past week, but no deal has been struck.

Tietjens has told NZME he has been contacted by Kenya and a couple of other countries and is excited by the possibility of new challenges.

Kenya Rugby chairman Richard Omwela is reported to have contacted Tietjens, but is yet to discuss with him the possibility of taking over as head coach.

Omwela told Daily Nation, “We have had initial contacts with him (Tietjens) and he said he is available, but he has said before that he doesn’t want a full time job after retirement…he only wants to do consultancy.”

Samoa have also expressed an interest in using Tietjens after they sacked Damien McGrath for failing to qualify the team for the Rio Games.

Radio New Zealand understands the Samoa Rugby Union had asked Tietjens to apply for the vacant head coaching job of the Samoa men’s sevens team. Tietjens has won the World Rugby Sevens Series 12 times, the World Cup twice and the Commonwealth Games four times.

At the time of his retirement, Tietjens said, he could never coach against New Zealand, suggesting a consultancy role is his preferred option.