Shujaa shift focus to Hong Kong sevens after much improvement in Vancouver
Kenya Rugby Sevens national team, Shujaa managed to cap the weekend with an improved 10th position in the just concluded Vancouver sevens leg in Canada.
This is after the Damian McGrath-coached side lost 35-17 in the ninth-place final of the World HSBC sevens series. Shujaa managed to pick seven points which is an improvement from the single point they picked from last weekend’s outing in Los Angeles.
They remain 13th in the overall standings with 29 points, one behind 12th-placed Spain with four rounds left. With four rounds left, Shujaa will be keen to avoid relegation by the time the season comes to an end. The 15th-ranked core team based on accumulated Series points following the tenth round in Toulouse will be relegated.
Teams ranked 12th, 13th, and 14th following the World Series in Toulouse will compete in a four-team relegation playoff with the 2023 Challenger Series winners in Toulouse. In the opening fixture against Olympic champions Fiji, the Damian McGrath-coached side could not maintain their defensive line as the Fijians showcased their offloading skills to stage a comeback for a 31-12 win.
In their second fixture of the ongoing Vancouver sevens, Shujaa lost 12-26 to Great Britain, a match that saw Kevin Wekesa and Edmund Anya touch down as Tony Omondi added a conversion. Shujaa would go on to lose 19- 12 in their final pool fixtures but would bounce back to winning ways and defeat their fellow Africans South Africa 17-12 in the ninth-place quarter-finals before holding off Spain 24-14 in the semis. Up next for Shujaa is the Hong Kong sevens assignment where the Damian McGrath-coached side on 31 March to 2 April will tackle log leaders New Zealand, South Africa, and Ireland in Pool D.
Pool A, of the Hong Kong sevens, sees Argentina who was this weekend crowned Vancouver 7s champions battle it out with Fiji, Samoa, and Canada. Pool B hosts Hong Kong, France, Great Britain, and Uruguay.
