Kenya’s Shujaa have demonstrated resilience and steady progress in their return to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series after earning promotion back to the top tier.
Throughout the 2024/25 season, the team has battled against some of the world’s best, showcasing both growth and determination.
Season Progress: Shujaa’s road to redemption
Shujaa kicked off their campaign at the Dubai Sevens, where they finished 10th after a 15-7 loss to Uruguay, securing three points.
They improved significantly in the Cape Town Sevens, finishing 7th with a 32-17 victory over Great Britain, which earned them eight points and helped them climb to 9th overall in the standings.
Their fortunes were mixed in the following tournaments. At the Perth Sevens, Shujaa once again finished 10th, narrowly losing 19-12 to New Zealand in the playoffs.
This result earned them three points, but they managed to maintain their 9th-place overall ranking. The Vancouver Sevens proved to be a challenging outing, as they finished last after a 19-14 loss to Ireland, securing only one point but still holding onto 9th place in the overall standings.
In Hong Kong, Shujaa showed signs of progress despite finishing 10th after a narrow 19-17 loss to South Africa.
The team won two out of five matches, a significant improvement compared to their winless run in Vancouver.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Head Coach Kevin Wambua acknowledged the strides they had made:
“Hong Kong was bittersweet for us. However, there was a big improvement from Vancouver. We did not achieve our set goals for the tournament, but we were competitive in all the games we played. Our three losses were by under seven points, which is something we can build on as we prepare for Singapore and, of course, the big one in LA.”
Looking Ahead: Singapore & LA Showdowns
With only two tournaments left in the season, Shujaa faces a tough challenge in Singapore, where they have been drawn against France and Ireland.
However, the Playoffs in Los Angeles will be even more crucial in determining their place among the world’s elite.
As the team continues refining their game and improving their execution under pressure, they remain determined to close the season on a high note and solidify their position on the global rugby stage.
ALSO READ: MLS bans Messi’s bodyguard from pitch duties amid security concerns