The Kenya 7s national team, Shujaa, will be looking for redemption at the Hong Kong 7s, set to take place from Friday, March 28 to Sunday, March 30 at the Kai Tak Stadium in China. After a disastrous outing at the Vancouver 7s, where they failed to win a single match, Kevin Wambua’s charges now shift their focus to the upcoming tournament, hoping to bounce back from their poor form.
Shujaa Placed in a Tough Pool C
Kenya 7s have been drawn in Pool C, where they will face off against Spain, Great Britain, and France. These are teams that Shujaa is all too familiar with, having recently encountered two of them in Vancouver.
At the Vancouver 7s, Shujaa suffered a 33-7 defeat to France before going down 26-10 to Great Britain. Their last encounter with Spain came during the Cape Town 7s, where they narrowly lost 14-7, missing out on a semifinal spot.
Kenya’s Disastrous Vancouver 7s Performance
Kenya endured one of their worst performances in the World Rugby Sevens Series at the Vancouver 7s, finishing last after failing to secure a single win.
- Match 1: Kenya 0-28 Argentina
- Match 2: Kenya 7-33 France
- Match 3: Kenya 10-26 Great Britain
- 11th Place Playoff: Kenya lost to Uruguay
- Final Placement Match: Kenya lost to Ireland
This run marked the lowest point of coach Kevin Wambua’s tenure, with Shujaa struggling to compete against stronger opposition. The team now has a chance to turn things around at the Hong Kong 7s, but they will need to address critical weaknesses in attack and defense.
Hong Kong 7s Pools Breakdown
The Hong Kong 7s promises to be another highly competitive tournament, with top teams battling for crucial points in the World Rugby Sevens Series.
Pool A
- Argentina (Vancouver 7s Champions)
- Fiji
- USA
- Ireland
Argentina, the Vancouver 7s champions, will be the team to beat in this group. They secured a 19-12 victory over South Africa in the final and currently top the World Series standings.
Pool B
- South Africa
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Uruguay
This pool features three of the most dominant teams in rugby sevens history—South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia—making it one of the toughest groups in the tournament. Uruguay will look to cause an upset.
Pool C
- Spain
- Great Britain
- France
- Kenya
This is the group where Shujaa will compete, and they will need to drastically improve their form to stand a chance of making it past the group stage.
World Rugby Sevens Series Standings
The race for the World Rugby Sevens Series title is heating up, with Argentina continuing their impressive form after their victory in Vancouver.
Top Standings
- Argentina – 68 points
- Spain – 64 points
- Fiji – 62 points
- South Africa – 62 points
- France – 46 points
- Australia – 38 points
- New Zealand – 38 points
- Great Britain – 32 points
- Kenya – 15 points (Tied with Uruguay)
Kenya remains ninth in the standings, dangerously close to the relegation playoff zone. Uruguay shares the same 15-point tally, meaning Shujaa must secure a strong performance in Hong Kong to avoid slipping further down.
The USA made slight improvements in Vancouver, picking up nine points, while Ireland remains bottom of the standings with seven points.
Shujaa’s Road to Redemption
Despite their struggles, Kenya 7s still have a chance to turn their season around. Their performances in recent tournaments have exposed weaknesses in their defensive structure, handling errors, and lack of finishing in attack.
Coach Kevin Wambua has a few weeks to regroup his squad and work on a game plan that can help them compete at a higher level in Hong Kong. Players like Patrick Odongo, Vincent Onyala, and Jone Kubu will be crucial in leading the team’s resurgence.
With only a few tournaments left in the series, every match from this point forward is critical. Kenya must aim for at least two wins in the group stage to have any hope of advancing.
Can Shujaa Deliver in Hong Kong?
The Hong Kong 7s presents a massive test for Shujaa, as they try to recover from their dismal Vancouver campaign and prove that they belong among the world’s best sevens teams.
With Spain, Great Britain, and France in their pool, Kenya will need to be at their best to avoid another last-place finish. Can they bounce back and make a statement? The world will be watching as Shujaa takes to the field in China.
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