The Kenya National Men’s Rugby Team, Shujaa, is set to clash with New Zealand in the 9th place final after a hard-fought 26-21 victory over the USA in the 9th place semifinal at the ongoing third round of the 2025 HSBC SVNS – Perth 7s in Australia.
Shujaa began day two of the tournament with their first win of the tournament, defeating Uruguay 19-5 in their final match of Pool C. This victory propelled them into the 9th place semifinal against the USA.
In the semifinal, Shujaa quickly responded to an early score from the USA, who took the lead with a try from Adam Channel, successfully converted by Marcus Tupola. Antony Mboya leveled the score for Shujaa by converting Patrick Odongo’s try, making it 7-7.
As halftime approached, George Ooro scored Shujaa’s second try, giving them a 12-7 advantage at the break.
The second half saw Shujaa extend their lead with converted tries from George Ooro and Floyd Wabwire. Despite attempts from the USA, with tries from Adam Channel and Faitala Talapusi narrowing the gap to 26-21, Shujaa held on for a crucial victory, securing their place in the 9th place final against New Zealand.
This upcoming match will be a rematch of their earlier pool stage encounter, where New Zealand defeated Shujaa 29-14.
Shujaa Perth 7s Results and Fixtures:
- Kenya 14 – 29 New Zealand
- Kenya 14 – 21 Fiji
- Kenya 19 – 05 Uruguay
9th Place Semifinal:
- Kenya 26 – 21 USA
9th Place Final:
- Kenya vs New Zealand – 9:14 AM (Sunday)
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