• RUGBY

• Frank Rotich 2 months ago

Kenya’s sevens team Shujaa finishes third in thrilling Nairobi SVNS leg

Kenya’s national men’s sevens team, Shujaa, settled for a third-place finish at the opening leg of the HSBC SVNS Division 2 after falling 21–5 to the United States national rugby sevens team on Sunday at Nyayo Stadium.

Germany were the surprise winners of the gold medal.

Heading into the clash unbeaten, Shujaa had raised hopes of reaching the final after impressive wins over Canada, Germany, Belgium, and Uruguay. The side, coached by Kevin Wambua, looked confident and well-organized throughout the group stages.

However, the USA proved more tactical and clinical when it mattered most. Kenya started strongly, spending much of the first half inside the American half and applying early pressure. Despite dominating territory, Shujaa failed to turn possession into points.

The Americans took advantage of defensive gaps around the ruck. Lucas Lucamp broke through to score the opening try and added the conversion to give the visitors a halftime lead.

In the second half, the USA maintained their sharp execution. Aaron Cummings crossed over in the 10th minute before Adam Channel added another try late in the match. Lucamp was again successful with the conversions, stretching the lead beyond Kenya’s reach.

Shujaa managed a consolation try in added time when captain George Ooro powered past his marker to score, ensuring the hosts ended the match on the scoreboard.

The result confirmed Kenya’s third-place finish overall. Germany were crowned tournament champions, while the USA settled for second place.

In the women’s competition, the Lionesses endured a difficult outing, losing 14–5 to Spain in their final match. Their only win of the tournament came against Brazil.

Argentina claimed the women’s title, with South Africa finishing second and Spain third.

The Nairobi leg marked the first stop of the Division 2 circuit. The series now moves to Montevideo, Uruguay, on March 21–22 before concluding in São Paulo, Brazil, on March 28–29.

Under the new format, six teams per gender compete across three events. The top four teams will qualify for the SVNS World Championship stage, where they will face the leading eight teams from Division 1 in Hong Kong, Valladolid, and Bordeaux. Promotion to the top tier for the 2027 season will be at stake.

Despite missing out on the final in Nairobi, Shujaa showed promise and fighting spirit. With lessons learned from the defeat, the team will be aiming for a stronger finish in the upcoming legs of th