Kenya national rugby 7s team extended its top shelf play to the second leg of the HSBC SVNS challenger series, delivering yet another top-tier performance at Estadio Charrúa stadium in Montevideo from 21st to 22nd March, 2026.
After the conclusion of the Nairobi leg of the ongoing World Rugby Sevens challenger series on Valentine’s Day, the battle now shifted to Montevideo, the heart of Uruguay, for the second leg of the series.
Kenya Shujaa’s headed into the Montevideo leg ranked third overall with 12 points, narrowly trailing Germany 7s on 13 points and level with USA 7s. The standings left little margin for error as the race for promotion intensifies.
“We have been training together as a team for the past three weeks following our third-place finish at the opening World Rugby Sevens challenger series leg in Nairobi,” said Kelvin Wambua in an interview with Sport Pesa.
“Our main objective, especially in the first week, was to review our performances through video analysis, identify areas where our execution fell short, and build on what worked well for us,” Wambua added.
Shujaa endured a mixed campaign at the Montevideo leg, showing moments of brilliance but also inconsistency and heartbreaking moments across their five matches.
Kenya Shujaa, one of giants of Africa in rugby 7s suffered a painful comeback defeat to USA after a bright start. Shujaa raced into an early lead with a quick try in the opening minutes, before adding a second unconverted try midway through the first half to go 10-0 up.
USA responded before the break with a converted try to cut the deficit to 10-7. In the second half, USA completed the turnaround with another converted try, sealing a 14-10 victory as Kenya failed to capitalize on their early dominance.
Shujaa bounced back strongly in their second match, defeating Canada 19-5 in a composed performance. Kenya controlled the game from the onset, scoring three tries through Chrisant Ojwang, Floyd Wabwire, and Kevin Wekesa, with Nygel Amaitsa converting twice. Canada managed a consolation try, but Shujaa remained firmly in control throughout.
Kenya delivered their most dominant performance of the tournament with a commanding win over Belgium. Shujaa took control early, scoring two tries in the first half to lead 10-0 at the break. Kevin Wekesa and Vincent Onyala were on target in the opening half. After the restart, Kenya maintained their intensity, with Patrick Odongo and Floyd Wabwire adding two more tries to complete a comprehensive 20-0 shutout victory, underlining their attacking depth and defensive solidity.
Kenya’s momentum and winning strike was stalled in a tightly contested clash against Germany, where Kenya fell 7–12. Germany 7s struck first with an unconverted try before Kenya responded with a converted effort to take a narrow lead. The Europeans, however, had the final say with a decisive converted try in the second half, edging Shujaa in a game defined by fine margins.
Kenya finished the Montevideo leg campaign strongly with a solid win over hosts Uruguay. Shujaa built a 12-7 lead by halftime after a fast-paced opening half. In the second half, Kenya extended their advantage with additional tries, showcasing improved execution and composure. Uruguay fought back but could not overturn the deficit, as Shujaa closed out a 22-14 victory to cap off their Montevideo campaign on a high note.
With the conclusion of the Montevideo leg of the HSBC SVNS Challenger Series, Shujaa ranked third in the overall standings with 32 points, trailing leaders USA 7s and second-placed Germany 7s 38 points apiece. Kenya remains firmly in contention for promotion, but will need a sharper, more consistent showing in the final leg to secure a return to the elite Division 1 and reclaim the lost glory.
On the women’s side, Kenya Lioness’s endured a difficult outing in Nairobi, finishing fifth in the standings after a fiercely contested pool phase. Argentina 7s set the pace, followed closely by South Africa 7s, Spain 7s, and China 7s.
The results left the Lionesses outside the crucial top-four bracket, with only the leading four teams at the end of the series earning the opportunity to advance and face top-tier opposition in Division 1.
“Judith Auma has just returned from injury, and our job is to slowly ease her into the squad. We already know what she can do. Even a 50 per cent Judith can outfight anyone who is 100 per cent,” Kenya Lioness’s head coach Simon Odongo told Mozzart Sport.
“Our job is just to tame her and ensure she is in good health. As we move into the championship, she will get the minutes she requires to fight back and reclaim her spot in the squad,” Coach Odongo added.
The Kenya Lionesses endured a difficult outing at the Montevideo leg, with struggles from the Nairobi leg clearly carrying over into Uruguay.
They opened their campaign with a 19-5 defeat to China 7s. Kenya started brightly, with Edith Nariaka crossing over for an early try. However, China responded through Gao Xiaoyang, with Hua Beibei converting to take the lead. Further tries from Le Zhang and Chen Can sealed the result.
Kenya bounced back with resilience in their second match, edging Argentina women’s rugby sevens 12-10. Janet Okello gave Kenya an early lead before Argentina responded through Malena Díaz. A late try and conversion from Sinaida Nyachio sealed a dramatic win.
Their momentum, however, stalled against Spain women’s rugby sevens, who claimed a 19-14 victory. Spain struck early through María García and extended their lead with a brace from Juana Stella. Kenya responded through Nariaka and Okello, but time ran out despite a late push.
A heavy 27-0 defeat to South Africa women’s rugby sevens followed, with the South Africans dominating throughout. Kenya struggled to penetrate a well-organized defense and failed to register a point in one of their toughest matches of the tournament.
Lionesses closed their Montevideo leg campaign with a 19-12 loss to Brazil women’s rugby sevens. Bianca Silva starred with a brace, while Kenya’s tries from Charity Nilla and Okello kept the contest competitive before Brazil pulled away late on.
After the dust settled, Kenya Lionesses finished sixth, well short of their target of a top-four finish needed for promotion. The result leaves the Lionesses with a steep task heading into the final leg, where they must deliver near-perfect performances to keep their division 1 hopes alive.
The HSBC SVNS Challenger Series reaches its thrilling conclusion next weekend, March 28-29, with a lineup of high-stakes, jaw-dropping rugby clashes set to unfold in São Paulo, Brazil.
By Victor Ngugi
