Kenya’s national rugby sevens team, Shujaa, capped their campaign with a statement performance to finish seventh at the World Rugby Sevens Championship, held from 17th to 19th, April 2026, at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong, China.
Before the Sunday performance, Shujaa had secured a long-awaited return to rugby’s elite after finishing third at the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series in São Paulo, Brazil, on 28th to 29th March, 2026. This marked a swift comeback for a team that lost its core status last year after a disappointing ninth-place finish and subsequent relegation.
Now, with redemption firmly in sight, Kenya joined USA 7s, Germany 7s, and Uruguay 7s as the four promoted sides heading into the 2026 HSBC Sevens Championship. The quartet integrated with the eight established core teams to form a competitive 12-team lineup.
The revamped competition will unfold across three phases, with teams divided into three pools of four. Besides chasing the overall championship title, the stakes are brutally clear, only the top eight teams will retain core status for the 2027 season.
For Shujaa, this is more than just another campaign, it is a defining moment. A chance to re-establish themselves on the global stage, silence doubts, and prove they belong among rugby sevens’ elite once again.
“Well, again, it’s the 12 best sevens teams in the world at the moment, so there is no easy game throughout. It’s important for us to get a good start; it gives us momentum. We are building on the momentum from Sao Paulo, where I think we had a decent tournament. If we can build on that, we should be good,” Kevin “Bling” Wambua said in an interview with SportPesa on Tuesday April 7 2026 at Kasarani Stadium.
Kenya’s quest to reclaim their lost glory got off to a challenging start, falling 14-5 to Australia 7s in their opening match. The Australians struck early, asserting dominance through two well-taken tries by Josh Turner and James Turner, both successfully converted by Dietrich Roache to give them a comfortable lead.
Kenya responded after the break, with Denis Abukuse crossing the line for an unconverted try that briefly reignited hope. However, the fightback proved too little, too late, as Australia held firmly on the defense to see out the match and secure victory at the final whistle.
Shujaa’s second match proved even more punishing, as they slumped to a 28-12 defeat against New Zealand 7s in a one-sided contest. The Kiwis seized control from the outset, with Roderick Solo and Sam Clarke crossing early, Solo adding both conversions to hand his side a commanding lead.
Kenya attempted to respond through Kevin Wekesa, who dotted down for an unconverted try, but any hopes of a comeback were swiftly extinguished. New Zealand maintained their dominance, with Brady Rush and Kele Lasaqa extending the lead, while Clarke and Riley Williams were on target with the conversions.
Pettersan Amaitsa managed to pull one back for Kenya and added the extras with his boot, but by then the result was beyond doubt, as New Zealand had already sealed Shujaa’s fate.
Facing a must-win clash on Saturday to keep their Hong Kong dream alive, Shujaa rose to the occasion with a statement 17-10 victory over USA 7s at Kai Tak Sports Park. Kenya signaled their intent early when Denis Abukuse crossed the line, only for the try to be disallowed after he knocked the ball with his knee before grounding.
The Americans capitalized on that reprieve, striking twice through Ben Broselle and Lucas Lacamp, though both tries went unconverted. Kenya, however, regrouped and found their rhythm before the break, with John Ohoth Okeyo touching down for the opening try, converted by Pettersan Amaitsa to narrow the deficit at halftime.
Buoyed by renewed determination, Shujaa took control in the second half. Abukuse made amends with a well-taken try, before Amaitsa added another to push Kenya into a 17-10 lead. From there, Kenya showed composure and resilience, shutting down the USA’s late push to the final whistle and sealing a crucial win that secured their place in the quarter-finals.
The quarter-final clash at the Hong Kong leg delivered a big heartbreak for Kenyan fans, as Shujaa fell agonizingly short in a dramatic 26-22 defeat to South Africa 7s. The Blitzboks struck first, with Selvyn Davids crossing early and Tristan Leyds adding the conversion to hand them a 7-0 lead.
Kenya responded with intent, turning the tide through tries from John Ohoth and Denis Abukuse, with Pettersan Amaitsa converting the latter to give Shujaa a 12-7 advantage. However, the momentum shifted just before halftime when Vincent Onyala was sent to the sin bin for a dangerous aerial challenge on Davids. South Africa capitalized on the numerical advantage, with Donovan Don levelling the scores after Leyds’ successful conversion.
After the break, Kenya showed resilience, adding two unconverted tries to edge ahead, but the missed conversions would later prove costly. Even with Davids temporarily off the field for a sin-bin offence, the Blitzboks found another gear, scoring their third try through relentless pressure, with Ronald Brown slotting the conversion to swing the lead back in their favor.
With the clock ticking down, South Africa delivered the decisive blow, as Siviwe Soyizwapi crossed in the dying moments to seal a dramatic 26-22 victory and book a place in the semi-finals, leaving Shujaa to rue missed opportunities in a contest that slipped painfully through their fingers.
Shujaa wrapped up their Hong Kong 7s campaign in emphatic fashion, overpowering France 7s with a commanding 21-7 victory to secure seventh place. Kenya set the tone early, with Pettersan Amaitsa crossing for the opening try and adding the conversion for a 7-0 lead.
The Frenchmen responded before halftime, as Maxim Granell touched down and Rayan Rebbadj converted to level the scores at 7-7 heading into the break.
The second half, however, belonged entirely to Kenya. Shujaa seized control with precision and pace, as Festus Shiasi Safari restored the lead with a well-worked try. Co-captain Samuel Mosiori Asati then sealed the result with another touchdown, while Amaitsa remained flawless with his boot, converting both to stretch the advantage.
The 21-7 scoreline reflected Kenya’s authority, as they not only sealed seventh place but also capped their campaign with one of their most composed and steady performances of the tournament.
At the close of the leg, Kenya finished with eight points, trailing South Africa 7s, Argentina 7s, Spain 7s, New Zealand 7s, Fiji 7s and Australia 7s in the standings.
On the women’s side, the Kenya Lionesses fell short of qualification for the SVNS Championship after placing sixth in the Challenger Series. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s women’s sevens team emerged victorious in Hong Kong, finishing ahead of Australia and France to claim top honors.
Attention now shifts to the next stop on the SVNS Championship circuit, with the second leg set for Valladolid, in Spain from 29th to 30th May, 2026, where more thrilling, high-intensity rugby is expected to unfold.
By Victor Ngugi
