Nairobi – The Kenyan national rugby sevens team, Shujaa, faced a devastating blow after their 12-7 loss to Canada in the playoff finals in London on Sunday evening ultimately led to their relegation from the World Rugby Sevens Series.
Having been a part of the esteemed competition for the last 19 years, the team was determined to secure a win that would save them from being relegated. After starting their survival campaign with a 24-19 win over Canada followed by a 38-26 victory over Tonga, the team suffered a narrow 14-10 loss to Uruguay in their final pool encounter. Despite this, they qualified for the final, setting up a crucial showdown with the North Americans.
Unfortunately, their efforts proved to be fruitless, and Shujaa will now be required to win the Africa 7s finals or secure a third-place finish, provided South Africa wins, before competing against 12 other teams from around the world in the two-week challenger series. If they succeed in clinching the tournament, the team will be reinstated into the Sevens Series.
This latest development spells uncertainty and potential instability for Kenya’s rugby sevens team, who will need to display remarkable resilience and perseverance in the face of this significant setback.
