RUGBY
Frank Rotich 1 hr ago

Kenya shujaa finish eighth in Valladolid SVNS

Kenya Shujaa finished eighth in Valladolid SVNS. [Courtesy Kenya Sevens]

Kenya Sevens team Shujaa ended the HSBC SVNS World Championship campaign in Valladolid, Spain, with an eighth-place finish after suffering a 14-5 defeat to France in the seventh-place playoff on Sunday.

The match, played at Estadio José Zorrilla, saw France avenge the defeat to Kenya in Hong Kong earlier this season.

France made a strong start and took the lead through Enahemo Artaud, who sprinted down the left wing to score the opening try. Artaud crossed the whitewash again in the seventh minute to give the French side a comfortable advantage.

Kenya responded through John Okoth, who touched down in the corner to reduce the deficit and keep Shujaa's hopes alive heading into the second half.

Despite enjoying good possession after the break, Kenya struggled to break through a disciplined French defence. Shujaa created several attacking opportunities but failed to convert them into points.

Their comeback hopes suffered a further setback when Victor Odhiambo Mola was shown a yellow card late in the match, forcing Kenya to finish the game with six players.

France were unable to add to their score despite having a numerical advantage, but they successfully defended their lead to secure seventh place while Kenya settled for eighth.

The result brings Kenya's Valladolid campaign to an end, with Shujaa now turning their attention to the next tournament in France. The upcoming leg will be crucial as Kenya continues its fight to secure a place among the top-tier teams in next season's HSBC SVNS Series.

Although they missed out on a top-seven finish, Shujaa will take valuable lessons from the tournament as they prepare for the decisive challenge ahead.