• RUGBY

• Frank Rotich 12 days ago

Kenya Shujaa and Lionesses target strong comeback in Montevideo

Kenya’s national sevens teams, Shujaa and the Lionesses, head into the second leg of the HSBC SVNS Division 2 series in Montevideo, Uruguay determined to revive promotion hopes and keep alive their dream of returning to the top tier.

The three-day tournament, set for March 21 to 23 at Estadio Charrúa, comes at a critical stage of the series, with only one leg in Sao Paulo remaining after this weekend.

Both teams showed promise during the opening leg held at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, but failed to fully deliver, leaving them with work to do in Uruguay.

Shujaa impressed on home soil with strong performances in the early rounds, going unbeaten against Canada, Belgium, Uruguay, and Germany. However, they fell short in the final, losing 21-5 to the USA and settling for third place with 16 points.

Head coach Kevin Wambua says the focus in Montevideo is on correcting mistakes and finishing what they started.

“We’ve improved our preparations and worked on the small details that cost us in Nairobi. The goal remains to return to HSBC SVNS 1,” Wambua said.

Shujaa begin their campaign with a tough rematch against the USA on Saturday evening, a match expected to set the tone. They will then face Canada, Belgium, Germany, and hosts Uruguay across the weekend.

For the Kenya Lionesses, the second leg offers a chance to bounce back after a difficult outing in Nairobi, where they managed just one win against Brazil and finished fifth with 12 points.

Head coach Simon Odongo has called for better decision-making and improved finishing as the team looks to climb up the standings.

“We didn’t perform to our potential at home. The players understand what is at stake, and we expect a better showing,” Odongo said.

The Lionesses will open their campaign against China before taking on Argentina and Spain, with South Africa and Brazil lined up on the final day.

With Germany leading the men’s standings and Uruguay topping the women’s table after the first leg, the competition remains tight. The USA are second in the men’s standings, just ahead of Shujaa.

There is limited room for error and only one leg remaining after Montevideo so every match will be crucial as Kenya’s teams push for promotion.

All eyes will now be on Montevideo, where Shujaa and the Lionesses must deliver strong performances to keep their top-tier ambitions alive.