The Kenya men’s rugby sevens team, Shujaa, is striving to improve its position in the World Rugby Sevens Series standings after finishing 10th at the Perth 7s. Shujaa lost 19-12 to New Zealand in the ninth-place final, placing them ninth overall with 14 points.
Focus Shifts to Vancouver 7s
After the Perth tournament, Shujaa now turns its attention to the Vancouver 7s, scheduled to take place from February 21-23, 2025, in Vancouver, Canada. Coach Kevin “Bling” Wambua and his charges will face a challenging Pool A, which includes Argentina, France, and Great Britain.
Past Performances Against Pool A Opponents
Shujaa can draw confidence from their previous encounters with these teams:
- In the second leg of the series at Cape Town (December 7-8, 2024), Shujaa lost 26-14 to Argentina in the fifth-place semi-final but bounced back to defeat Great Britain 32-17, finishing seventh.
- Argentina enters the Vancouver 7s in high spirits after a dominant 41-5 victory over Australia to win the main cup in Perth.
- France, on the other hand, will be eager to improve after finishing sixth in Perth, where they lost 17-5 to Fiji.
- Great Britain concluded their campaign on a high note, beating Uruguay 33-7 in the seventh-place final.
Coach Wambua Reflects on Perth 7s
Speaking after Shujaa’s performance at the Perth 7s, Head Coach Kevin Wambua said:
“We’re gutted not to have made it into the top eight after losses to New Zealand and a close one against Fiji in the pool stage. However, I’m happy with our comeback wins against Uruguay and the USA.
We are scoring tries against top-eight teams despite having a young squad, with 75% of the players making their debut in the series. Going toe-to-toe with these teams shows that we’re on the right path and that our systems are working. We’ll continue to trust the process.”
Coach Wambua acknowledged key areas needing improvement which includes Lineouts ,Defense and Decision Making
“Our set piece, especially the lineout, let us down, and we will work hard to improve this critical area.”
“We need to tighten our defense, ensure better inside/outside cover, and make smarter decisions around the breakdown area, especially under fatigue.”
“We are picking up valuable lessons from every game, win or lose, and we’re committed to achieving our season goal of staying in the top eight. There’s no room for error at this level, so we must learn and adapt quickly. The team is on the right path, and we’ll keep working hard and growing together,” Wambua concluded.
Uphill Task for Shujaa
With just three legs remaining in the 2025 season, Shujaa faces an uphill task to avoid relegation from the global stage. The team must deliver consistent performances in the upcoming tournaments to secure their spot among the world’s elite rugby sevens teams.
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