Kenya 7s have once again failed to advance past the group stage in the Olympics Rugby 7s, suffering a 26-0 defeat to Samoa in their final group match in Paris.
Shujaa, having lost their opening two matches, were on two points and hoped to secure a strong scoreline against Samoa to keep their quarterfinal dreams alive.
Kenya 7s dominate
However, Samoa dominated possession from the start, putting Kenya on the defensive. Despite surviving the initial pressure, Kenya couldn’t stop Samoa’s second attack, with Motu Opetai scoring the opening try.
Samoa continued to control the game, limiting Kenya’s opportunities to enter their half. Kevin Wekesa received a yellow card, leaving Kenya short-handed. Just before the break, Patrick Odongo made a crucial stop to deny Apelu Maliko a second try.
In the second half, a quick tap by Paul Scanlan, following an offside penalty against Kenya, resulted in an easy try, extending Samoa’s lead to 12-0. Samoa maintained possession and disrupted Kenya’s efforts. Anthony Mboya received a yellow card as Kenya‘s struggles continued.
Vaa Apelu Maliko added another try, and Steve Onosai scored a last-minute try, sealing Kenya’s elimination. Kenya will now compete in the ninth-place semifinals.
Australia and Argentina both secured victories to progress to the knockout phase. In the tournament’s opening match, Henry Hutchison scored twice and Nathan Lawson added another try, leading Australia to a 21-14 victory over Samoa.
The Pacific Islanders excited the Stade de France crowd early on, with Motu Opetai intercepting a pass and running 50 meters for the competition’s first try.
Hutchison and Lawson’s tries put Australia in control, but Faafoi Falaniko scored a late try for Samoa, thrilling the crowd again. Australia then eased to a 21-7 win over a spirited Kenya, with James Turner, Lawson, and Corey Toole all scoring.
Kenya 7s losses
Earlier, Kenya had lost 31-12 to Argentina after initially taking the lead through Chrisant Ojwang’s pace. Agustin Fraga scored two tries around halftime to give Argentina the advantage, which they solidified with three late tries.
Argentina remained unbeaten with a comfortable 28-12 win over Samoa. Matías Osadczuk scored twice, while Matteo Graziano and Joaquin Pellandini also touched down.
