Kenya national rugby 7s team Shujaa, roared back to the global stage storming to Division 1 after dominating in the third leg of the HSBC SVNS Challenger Series, delivering yet another top-shelf performance at Estadio Nicolau Alayon stadium in Brazil from March 28 to 29, 2026.
After thrilling stops in Nairobi and Montevideo, the HSBC SVNS Challenger Series shifted into high gear in São Paulo, Brazil, for its decisive third and final leg, where everything was on the line and only the best would rise to the occasion.
Heading into the finale, Kenya’s Shujaa sat third in the overall standings with 32 points, just behind joint leaders USA 7s and Germany 7s on 38 points each. But with momentum building and belief surging through the squad, Kenya held a firm grip on a top-four spot, the golden ticket needed to secure promotion to the elite Division 1 league.
On the women’s side, the Kenya Lionesses found themselves battling more than just their opponents as the Challenger Series unfolded. A disappointing sixth-place finish in Montevideo cast a dark cloud over their campaign, leaving them short of the crucial top-four mark required to keep their promotion hopes firmly on track.
With the stakes rising, that setback made the climb in the final leg in São Paulo even steeper, turning their mission into a high-pressure fight for redemption where every match carried added weight.
“First of all, l think we are on the right path, there have been some consistencies. We know we need to finish top four in these three legs for as to qualify for the championship. Last tournament now in Sao Paulo, of course we want to still stick to the process of finishing in the top four to give ourselves and opportunity to play in the championship in two weeks’ time.” Head coach Kevin Wambua said in an interview with Sportpesa.
“We are going to chase better position; we finish third in the last two tournaments and we have a discussion whereby we know we are good enough to finish in the top two and that’s what we are going to chase.” Wambua added.
“The boys are looking sharp and l believe they are up to the task. Our main goal is to play in Hong Kong’ and so far, we have already sealed it. Our aim in this tournament is to finish top because the top two have already won a tournament each.” Co-captain Samuel Asati said in an interview with Sportpesa.
Shujaa stamped their authority on the tournament, opening their campaign with a dominant 38-7 victory over Germany 7s in a statement performance. Despite the Europeans striking first as Jakob Dipper crossed over in the second minute and Cedric Eichholz converting the try, Kenya quickly flipped the script and took full control of the contest.
Patrick Odongo, the Kenyan speedster, ignited the comeback with two well-taken tries, before Vincent Onyala powered over twice to stretch the lead. George Ooro and Denis Abukuse then joined the party with a try apiece, capping off a ruthless attacking display. Pettersan Amaitsa was reliable off the tee with three conversions, while David Nyagige slotted in another conversion in the 14th minute to seal an emphatic win.
Shujaa’s blazing start hit a speed bump in their second outing, as Belgium 7s brought their momentum to a grinding halt. Kenya struck first through Patrick Odongo, who crossed over early but when the dust settled the missed conversion proved costly.
Belgium seized the moment in the fifth minute, with a try from Ryan Godsmark before Marius Dehoust slotted the conversion to edge ahead 7-5. They tightened their grip in the eighth minute when Timothe Rifon powered over for another try, with Dehoust once again converting to stretch the lead to 14-5.
Pettersen Amaitsa pulled Kenya back into contention after the restart, scoring and converting to cut the deficit to two points. However, Shujaa could not find a late breakthrough, as Belgium held firm to secure the win.
Shujaa bounced back in emphatic fashion in their third outing, delivering one of the most dominant performances of the series with a crushing 40-0 victory over Canada 7s. From the first whistle, Kenya was in complete control, setting the tone with two early tries from Vincent Onyala that left their opponents reeling.
The dominance continued as Festus Shiasi, George Ooro, Pettersan Amaitsa, and Denis Abukuse each crossed the whitewash, showcasing Shujaa’s depth and attacking firepower. Amaitsa was clinical with the boot, slotting four conversions, while David Nyagige added the final touch from the tee to cap off a ruthless, all-round display.
Shujaa bounced back in style with a 31–14 victory over USA, a side that had troubled them since the Nairobi leg. The Americans struck first through Tucker Trickey, with Lucas Lacamp converting for an early 7–0 lead.
Kenya responded quickly, with George Ooro crossing to spark the comeback. David Nyagige then took control, scoring twice and adding a conversion to swing the momentum. USA briefly capitalized while Patrick Odongo was in the sin bin, but Shujaa remained in control.
Chrisant Ojwang and John Okoth then added the finishing touches with tries of their own, while Pettersan Amaitsa’s steady boot ensured Kenya stayed ahead, sealing a well-deserved and commanding victory.
Shujaa closed out the São Paulo leg with a 26-14 win over Uruguay. George Ooro opened the scoring to set Kenya on course early. Samuel Asati, Festus Shiasi and Chrisant Ojwang each crossed as Shujaa built control of the match. Pettersen Amaitsa added three conversions to extend the lead.
Uruguay responded through Diego Ardao and Ignacio Rodríguez, with Francisco Landauer converting both tries, but Kenya maintained their advantage to see out the win.
With the curtain falling on the 2026 HSBC SVNS Challenger Series in São Paulo, Shujaa capped a consistent campaign, finishing third overall after back-to-back third-place finishes in Nairobi and Montevideo and a second-place result in São Paulo. The performance secured their promotion to Division 1 alongside USA, Germany and Belgium, marking their return to the top tier of the sevens circuit.
Kenya Lionesses began their São Paulo leg campaign with a 19-12 loss to Argentina 7s. Argentina struck first through Maria Paula, before Talia Rodich and Candela Delgado added tries to extend their lead. Marianela Escalante successfully converted two of the tries to give Argentina a comfortable advantage.
Kenya responded late in the game, with Stella Wafula and Janet Okelo each scoring a try, while Sinaida Nyachio added a conversion. However, the comeback effort came too late to overturn Argentina’s lead.
The Lionesses bounced back strongly in their next match, defeating South Africa 7s 14-5. Janet Okelo opened the scoring with an early try, followed by another from Freshia Oduor. Sinaida Nyachio converted both tries to secure a solid lead.
South Africa’s only response came in the 10th minute through Assispho Plaatjies, but they failed to convert the try. Kenya capitalized on this missed opportunity and held on to claim a well-deserved victory.
Kenya Lionesses continued their impressive run with a 24-17 victory over Spain 7s. Kenya opened the scoring through Freshia Oduor, before Naomi Amuguni added a second try to extend the lead. Janet Okelo further strengthened Kenya’s advantage with another try, while Sinaida Nyachio successfully converted two of the tries to help secure the win.
Spain mounted a strong challenge, responding with tries from Maria Garcia, Denisse Gartazar, and Maria Calvo. Carmen Miranda added a conversion, but their efforts were not enough to overturn Kenya’s lead. In the end, Kenya held firm to emerge victorious in a closely contested match.
In one of their most dominant performances of the series, Kenya Lionesses delivered a resounding 46–0 victory over China 7s. Freshia Oduor led the charge with an outstanding four tries, setting the tone for Kenya’s dominance throughout the match.
Janet Okelo also got on the scoresheet with a try, while Faith Livoi added two more to widen the gap. Marvel Laura Oswago capped off the scoring with another try to complete the rout. Sinaida Nyachio’s boot further strengthened Kenya’s lead, as she successfully converted three tries to seal an emphatic win.
Kenya Lionesses ended their São Paulo leg campaign with a 24-12 loss to hosts Brazil 7s. Brazil took early control of the match, with Camilla Carvalho scoring two tries, followed by Thalia Costa who also crossed the line twice. Gisele Gomes successfully converted two of the tries to extend Brazil’s lead.
Kenya fought back through tries from Charity Nilla and Sheilla Chajira, with Sinaida Nyachio adding a conversion. However, their efforts were not enough to close the gap, as Brazil held on to secure the win.
Despite the loss, Kenya Lionesses finished second overall in the São Paulo leg, just behind the hosts Brazil. In the overall standings of the 2026 HSBC SVNS Challenger Series, Kenya placed fifth.
It was a heartbreaking outcome for the Lionesses, as they narrowly missed out on a top-four finish, denying them a place in Division 1, the elite tier of the competition.
Kenya Shujaa are set to compete in the opening leg of the 2026 HSBC World Championship phase, scheduled for April 17 to 19,2026 in Hong Kong.
