Kenya Sevens, popularly known as Shujaa, are on the verge of making a significant return to the World Rugby Sevens Series, now dubbed the HSBC SVNS Series.
Their journey continues in two weeks with a crucial appearance in the HSBC Sevens Madrid playoffs, scheduled for 31 May to 2 June in Spain. This follows their fluctuating form in the recently concluded 2024 World Rugby Challenger Series.
Shujaa, whose performance has seen highs and lows since the Challenger Series began in January, will face Chile, Samoa, and Spain in the upcoming playoffs.
The Kenyan team secured their playoff spot by finishing second in the Challenger Series standings, trailing behind leaders Uruguay.
In the final leg of the series held in Munich, Germany over the weekend, Kenya finished in a disappointing fifth place. This result was below their expectations, especially considering their earlier achievements of winning gold in Dubai and bronze in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Despite this setback, Kenya’s captain Vincent Onyala remains optimistic about their chances in Madrid.
“We are definitely happy because we achieved our goal of making it to the playoffs,” Onyala said. “Now we just wait to see what Madrid has for us. Hopefully, we’ll get there and build on our little moments, then see ourselves back in the HSBC SVNS Series.”
Onyala emphasized the importance of the upcoming matches for the growth of their program.
“It will be big. Our program will grow. The boys that are coming in will experience what it means to play with the best, and we’ll build on from there,” he added.
In Munich, Uruguay emerged victorious by narrowly defeating Germany 21-19 in a thrilling final, while Hong Kong China secured the bronze medal after narrowly missing out on the top four.
Although Kenya did not make it to the semi-finals, their fifth-place finish was sufficient to secure the runner-up position in the final standings behind Uruguay.
The pools for the HSBC SVNS Play Off in Madrid have been set, with Uruguay and Germany facing the USA and Canada in Group A, while Kenya is grouped with Chile, Samoa, and Spain in Group B.
This year’s Challenger Series was more competitive than ever, featuring three rounds and offering the top four men’s and women’s teams a chance to gain promotion to the HSBC SVNS 2025 through the new playoff tournament.
The 2024 HSBC SVNS season will culminate dramatically in Madrid, where the top eight teams will compete in a ‘winner takes all’ Grand Final to become SVNS Champions.
Meanwhile, the bottom four HSBC SVNS teams will battle against the top four teams from the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger for qualification to the 2025 HSBC SVNS series.
Introduced in February 2020, the Challenger Series aims to enhance the development of rugby sevens globally and provides a clear pathway for promotion to the elite level of global rugby sevens.
The sport has seen substantial growth over the past two decades, particularly since its inclusion in the global sevens series and its debut as an Olympic sport at the Rio 2016 Games.
The expanded 2024 edition of the Sevens Challenger kicked off with a combined men’s and women’s event at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai from January 12-14. Kenya men and China women emerged victorious in this inaugural round.
The second round took place in Montevideo, Uruguay from March 8-10, where the hosts won the men’s event and China clinched the women’s title.
As Kenya Sevens prepare for the HSBC Sevens Madrid playoffs, the team remains focused on correcting their mistakes and improving their performance.
The anticipation is high as they aim to secure their return to the prestigious HSBC SVNS Series and further solidify their place among the world’s best in rugby sevens.
The journey ahead is challenging, but with determination and strategic play, Shujaa hopes to make their mark in Madrid and pave the way for a successful return to the global rugby sevens stage.
PHOTOS: World Rugby
