Kenya Sevens rugby team learned tough lessons on their return to the World 7s Series, finishing 10th with two wins as the circuit now heads to Cape Town, South Africa, for the second leg.
Shujaa has been drawn into a challenging pool featuring Australia and Spain, the Dubai 7s runners-up.
The second leg of the 2024/25 World 7s Series is set for this weekend at the DHL Stadium, featuring a revamped format where only the four pool winners will advance to the cup semifinals.
Shujaa kicked off their campaign with a spirited fight but narrowly lost to France in the dying seconds (24-19).
Shujaa’s comeback
They redeemed themselves by stunning continental rivals and Dubai 7s defending champions South Africa (22-17) but fell heavily to Australia in their final pool match (31-14).
The much-anticipated derby against South Africa began on a high note, with Kevin Wekesa bulldozing through the Blitzboks’ defense to score an unconverted try. Patrick Odongo, Kenya’s try-scoring machine, added a brace before halftime. The second half brought tense moments as South Africa clawed back with two quick tries to level the match at 17-17.
Tempers flared after a hard tackle from Shujaa left a Blitzboks player needing medical attention, briefly stopping the game.
However, Kenya’s determination shone through as they sealed the victory with a fourth unconverted try, winning 22-17 in front of an electrified crowd.
Despite losing two of their pool matches, Shujaa progressed to the ninth-place semifinals, where they defeated Ireland 21-7. Nonetheless, they fell to Uruguay in the final (15-7), securing 10th place overall, ahead of Ireland and bottom-placed USA.
Replacement after injury
The team suffered a setback when Chrisant Ojwang picked up an ankle injury. Fortunately, former captain Tony Omondi, fresh from leading Shogun Rugby Club to victory in the Dubai Club competition, has been called up as a replacement.
Omondi’s return is expected to bolster Kenya’s conversion game, which could be pivotal in their quest for a cup semifinal or final appearance.
The Dubai 7s opener also produced shocking results, with Spain earning a surprise podium finish after battling relegation last season. Fiji claimed the title, outclassing the spirited Spanish side 19-5 in the final.
Meanwhile, Argentina, New Zealand, and France rounded out the top five, gaining an early edge in the standings. Australia, Great Britain, and Uruguay followed, with Kenya sitting just outside the top eight.
