Shujaa midfielder Nigel Amaitza (right) in the match against Australia [World Rugby] Kenya’s Shujaa Rugby Sevens team is preparing for a tough test in the third round of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, Perth Sevens. The tournament, which kicks off on Friday at HBF Park Stadium in Australia, will see Kenya facing rugby giants New Zealand and Fiji in Group C as well as Uruguay.
Shujaa will start their campaign today (6am) with a boring opening match against New Zealand. They will then face Fiji at 10.59am and Uruguay on Sunday (7am).
These matches will be a tough test for Shujaa as they try to attract attention for the revamped SVNS World Series. Kenya have performed well in the first two rounds of the Perth Sevens Series.
The team started their campaign in Dubai where they finished 10th with three points. They reached the quarterfinals of the Cup at the second round in Cape Town but lost 14-26 to Argentina in the fifth place playoff.
In the seventh place playoff, Shujaa beat Great Britain 32-17, allowing South Africa to finish in ninth place. The team saw the return of key player Vincent Onyala, who will make his first appearance in the revamped SVNS series.
Having missed the 2022/23 season and the first two rounds of the 2024/25 season due to contract issues, Onyala is expected to add power to the Shujaa attack. He is expected to add firepower to the Shujaa attack.
Brian Tanga who has returned from a wrist injury sustained at the Dala Sevens 2024 will also add strength to the team. Brian Mutua and Brian Ondego make room for these changes but Kevin Wekeza, William Mwanzi, Denis Abukuze, Nigel Amaica, Anthony Omondi, Festus Siasi, Benson Salem and speedy Key players like Patrick Odongo and Floyd Wabwale have retained their positions.
Captains Samuel Asati and George Olo continue to lead the team. The focus on training brings us together and allows us to work on the tactical aspects of the sport.
An added plus is the return of Onyala and Tanga.” The Perth Sevens tournament will feature exciting competition between 12 of the best men’s and women’s teams in the world. The tournament will feature a stellar line-up of Olympians and up-and-coming stars looking to build on the excitement generated by the first two rounds in Dubai and Cape Town.
The men’s competition will be led by Team Fiji, who won gold in Dubai and bronze in Cape Town. Group C will be fiercely contested with New Zealand, Kenya and Uruguay.
Tournament hosts Australia, who won the SVNS 2024 title, will play Argentina, South Africa and USA in Group A. Olympic champions France, Spain, Great Britain and Ireland will play in Group B. The Perth Sevens is the third of six regular season tournaments in the HSBC SVNS series, which also takes place in Vancouver, Hong Kong and Singapore. The top eight teams from these six events will advance to the World Championships in Los Angeles, where the SVNS men’s and women’s champions will be determined.
There will also be a promotion/relegation playoff in Los Angeles where the teams ranked 9-12 will join the top four World Rugby Sevens Challenger teams to compete for a place in the next SVNS Shujaa will be preparing for the opening match against New Zealand and will be in good shape to improve their ranking. The aim is to.
