Shujaa almost there as search for crucial slot enters last lap

Shujaa scrum-half Samuel Asati (centre) tries to evade a tackle from Great Britain defenders during their Valladolid Sevens final Group A match in Spain yesterday.[KRU Media]

Kenya Sevens endured a difficult outing at the Valladolid Sevens in Spain but still stayed on course for a place in next season’s HSBC SVNS Division One after finishing eighth overall in the second leg of the ongoing SVNS Championship series.

Shujaa collected six points in Valladolid to move to 14 points overall after two rounds of the three-leg season finale series.

The Kenyan side had earlier finished seventh at the Hong Kong Sevens last month before slipping one place in Spain following a mixed performance against some of the world’s top rugby sevens nations.

Despite the drop, Kenya remains inside the crucial top eight positions that will secure places in the core Division One competition next season.

Shujaa are currently eighth on the standings, eight points ahead of ninth-placed Uruguay with one final round left to play at the Bordeaux Sevens this coming weekend in France.

South Africa, Argentina and Australia have already confirmed their places among next season’s core eight teams, leaving five slots still up for grabs heading into Bordeaux.

Kenya opened their Valladolid campaign with a painful 15-10 defeat to eventual tournament champions Australia. The match had ended 10-10 after normal time before the Australians snatched victory in golden point extra time.

Shujaa then suffered another setback after losing 14-0 to South Africa in their second Pool A match, leaving their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds hanging by a thread.

However, Kevin Wambua’s charges responded strongly in their final group match, edging Great Britain 12-7 to secure their only win of the tournament and book a place in the quarterfinals.

The victory offered hope of another improved finish, but Kenya once again ran into a ruthless Australian side in the quarterfinals and were comfortably beaten 21-0.

Shujaa’s struggles continued in the classification matches, where they lost 14-5 to France yesterday to settle for eighth position overall.

The upcoming tournament will provide another stern challenge for Shujaa after they were drawn in a difficult Pool A alongside South Africa, Fiji and a resurgent Great Britain side.

For Kenya, the clash against South Africa will offer another opportunity to test themselves against the continent’s dominant side, while fixtures against Fiji and Great Britain will heavily influence their hopes of securing another top-eight finish.

The Bordeaux Sevens at Stade Atlantique will bring the 2026 HSBC SVNS World Championship season to a close, with both the men’s and women’s world champions set to be crowned.

Meanwhile, Kenya Lionesses wrapped up their Rugby Africa Women’s Cup campaign with a silver medal after losing 35-20 to defending champions South Africa in a thrilling final match.

The Lionesses pushed the South Africans throughout the contest but could not stop the Springbok Women from retaining their continental title.

Despite the defeat, Kenya impressed during the tournament and underlined their growing status in African women’s rugby after recording strong victories earlier in the competition against Madagascar and Uganda.