Kenya’s Shujaa rugby team battled through to clinch third place in the opening leg of the HSBC SVNS 2 series, finishing with four wins from five matches
The tournament, dubbed ‘Valentine’s weekend’ at Nyayo National Stadium, saw the Shujaa fueled by passion and home support, brush aside Canada 7s 29-12 in front of a roaring home crowd on Saturday.
The Kenyans ran in five tries, with electric winger Patrick Odongo crossing twice, while Chrisant Ojwang, Festus Shiasi and Nigel Amaitsa also got on the scoresheet with a single try each. Amaitsa added a conversion to cap a dominant display that set the tone for Shujaa’s charge on home soil.
Shujaa turned on the style in round two, steamrolling Belgium 7s 33-0 in a ruthless display of power and precision. Kenya raced into a 26-0 half-time lead, crossing the whitewash four times before the break. Samuel Asati struck first to set the tone, Chrisant Ojwang followed almost immediately, before Vincent Onyala capped a flowing move for the third try.
Patrick Odongo then struck just before the whistle to underline Kenya’s dominance. With the conversions slotted in, Shujaa went into the sheds firmly in control. The job was sealed in the second half when Floyd Wabwire dotted down the fifth try, followed by another successful conversion to complete a statement 33-0 shutout.
Shujaa saved their most heart-stopping performance for last on Saturday, edging Germany 7s in a clash that had Nyayo on its feet from first whistle to sudden-death drama. The Germans struck early and hard, with Ben Ellermann grounding the opener in the 4th minute after a slick move released by Daniel Eneke, before Felix Hufnagel added a second to hand Germany a 10-0 halftime lead.
Shujaa roared back after the break, putting a stop to the Europeans and bringing joy to the hearts of thousands of Kenyan fans. Nygel Amaitsa tore down the left to ignite the comeback, and moments later Patrick Odongo powered over to drag Kenya level at 10-10, forcing extra time.
Then came the moment of magic, in the sudden death of extra time. Festus Shiasi sliced through the German defense off a turnover won by Kevin Wekesa, sealing a dramatic 15-10 victory and capping a thriller where every point truly mattered.
Kenya’s Shujaa top the men’s pool after a thrilling Day 1 at the HSBC SVNS 2, tied on three points with a red-hot USA 7s squad. The Americans made a statement in Nairobi, finishing unbeaten with dominant wins over Belgium 7s (40‑0) and Canada 7s (41‑7), while grinding out a tense 19‑14 victory over Uruguay 7s. Their combination of firepower and composure marks them as one of the tournament’s standout sides.
Kenya 7s confirmed they meant business, dragging Uruguay 7s into a dark corner and grinding out a gritty 17-7 victory in their Day 2 clash.
Right on the half-time whistle, John Okoth struck first, and Nygel Amaitsa calmly added the extra 2 points through a conversion. Fueled by the fans chanting and punctuated by a celebratory dance, Shujaa turned the screw in the second half, with captain George Ooro leading from the front before Samuel Asati delivered the final blow despite 2 failed conversions.
Uruguay’s resistance cracked late on, their lone consolation try from Joaquin Cat doing little to dim a statement win that underlined Kenya’s intent to bag the Nairobi leg.
The final round of the men’s Nairobi leg was expected to deliver a mouthwatering showdown, and it was the Americans who tore a hole through Shujaa’s unbeaten run in a ruthless style.
Lucas Lacamp struck early, carving open the Kenyan defense before coolly converting his own try to send the visitors into the break 7-0 up. After the restart, Aaron Cummings powered over with a try and Lacamp’s boot kept the scoreboard ticking, before Adam Channel drove in the third try, the conversion stretching the gap to a commanding 21-0.
Just when USA’s celebrations were ready to explode, George Ooro lit the fuse for the home crowd, sprinting like a man possessed, shrugging off defenders and diving under the posts in a blaze of defiance. It didn’t change the result, but it ignited a ferocious roar and stamped Shujaa’s refusal to bow quietly.
George Ooro stood tall, sweat-soaked and defiant, waving the Kenyan flag high as he was crowned Player of the HSBC SVNS 2 Nairobi Series, a moment that perfectly captured Shujaa’s fire. In front of a roaring home crowd, George Ooro embodied grit, pride, and leadership, turning Nyayo into a sea of red, green, and black.
“We approached every match like a final and wanted to give our best in front of the home crowd. Playing in Nairobi meant a lot to the players, and while the result against the USA didn’t go our way, the effort, and commitment shown across the leg gives us a strong platform to build on as we head into the next rounds.” Kevin Wambua, Shujaa’s head speaking to the media after the Nairobi leg.
Kenya Lionesses roar back to stun Brazil 7s, 15‑12 in a thrilling Day 1 opener at the SVNS 2 Nairobi leg. Trailing 12‑0 early, Janet Okello ignited the fightback with a try just before halftime. Stella Wafula followed soon after the restart to narrow the gap, and Naomi Amuguni delivered the decisive score late on to seal a stunning comeback. Missed conversions didn’t matter, the Lionesses held their nerve, showing grit, flair, and determination under pressure.
The second match of the Lionesses didn’t go their way as China 7s held off late Lionesses fightback for a 15‑12 win. The visitors raced out of the blocks, with Le Zhang scoring in the first minute. Sun Yue extended the lead to 10‑0 just minutes later and Ge Chenjie dotting down just before halftime to give China a 15‑0 lead, despite missing all three conversions. Kenya’s Lionesses roared back after the break, with Freshia Oduor and Grace Okulu crossing to bring the score to 15‑12, but the late surge wasn’t enough as China held on for a hard-fought victory.
A dark cloud followed the Kenya’s Lionesses to game three of the first day against South Africa who were ready to avenge the Los Angeles promotion playoffs where Kenya bagged the win 17-14.
At the electric Nyayo National Stadium, Kenya pushed continental heavyweights South Africa women’s national rugby sevens team to the brink before falling 12-10 in a nail-biting showdown.
The Springbok Women struck with ruthless efficiency. Shiniqwa Lamprecht sliced through in just the second minute, and Nadine Roos calmly slotted the conversion to hand South Africa an early 7-0 cushion.
Kenya responded with grit. Sheila Chajira powered over to ignite hopes, trimming the deficit to 7-5. But Maria Tshiremba’s try before the break restored South Africa’s breathing room, sending them into halftime 12-5 up.
The Lionesses threw everything forward in the second half with a try from Moreen Muritu, pulling them within two points of the Springboks, but missed conversions proved costly, the fine margins that ultimately defined the contest.
The result left Kenya fourth in the ladies’ pool, trailing behind unbeaten Argentina 7s and South Africa after three rounds.
Day 2 opened on a tense and sobering note as Argentina 7s edged past the Kenya Lionesses 5-0 in a bruising, low-scoring battle.
An early unconverted try by Marianela Escalante proved decisive and despite a spirited fight and relentless pressure, the Lionesses were left frustrated, battling to the final whistle but unable to break through Argentina’s defense.
Lionesses’ final round-robin clash in the Nairobi leg ended in heartbreak for the home crowd. Freshia Oduor struck early, powering over for an unconverted try to hand Kenya a 5-0 lead and ignite Nyayo. Soon after, Spain clawed their way back, with Abril Camacho crossing before the break and Silvia Morales adding the conversion to turn the score to 7-5 at halftime.
The momentum never swung back as Morales struck again after the restart, converting her own try to seal a 14-5 victory and left the Lionesses in pain short at the final whistle.
“We faced some tough battles this weekend and didn’t get the results we wanted, but I’m proud of how the team competed. We showed heart, grit and belief, and we will take the lessons from this leg into the next rounds as we aim to grow and push for a higher finish.” Simon Odongo, speaking after the Nairobi leg.
As the dust settled on a thrilling Nairobi leg, the stakes were set for the road ahead. Kenya’s Shujaa marched on with 12 points, heading into the second leg in third place, narrowly tucked behind Germany on 13 points and level with the USA.
The Lionesses also booked their progression, finishing fifth in the women’s standings after a fiercely contested pool that saw Argentina 7s lead the way, followed closely by South Africa 7s, Spain 7s, and China 7s.
With pride intact and everything still to play for, the battle now shifts to Montevideo, Uruguay, on March 21-22, before the series reaches its dramatic conclusion in São Paulo, Brazil, from March 28-29, 2026, where final destinies will be decided.
By Victor Ngugi
