Kenya’s national rugby sevens teams, the Shujaa and the Lionesses, concluded the inaugural HSBC Sevens Division Two series on a high note, both securing silver medals at the final leg in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Sunday evening. The performance marks a historic turning point for the men’s program, which officially confirmed its return to the elite Sevens World Championship (Core Series) for the next season.
Shujaa’s Resurgent Path to Promotion
The men’s team, Shujaa, delivered an emphatic performance in Sao Paulo, winning four out of their five matches. Their road to the silver medal included a dominant 38-7 victory over Germany and a 40-0 hammering of Canada on the opening day. Despite a narrow 12-14 loss to the eventual leg champions, Belgium, the Shujaa rebounded on Sunday to defeat the USA (31-14) and Uruguay (24-14).
With this silver medal, Kenya finished the season in second place overall with 50 points, just two points behind the season leaders, the USA. By securing a podium finish for the third consecutive time—following bronze medals in Nairobi and Uruguay—the Shujaa have successfully punched their ticket back into the top-tier Sevens World Championship.
Final Division Two Standings (Men’s Promotion):
- USA (52 pts) – Promoted
- Kenya (50 pts) – Promoted
- Germany (48 pts) – Promoted
- Uruguay (48 pts) – Promoted
Lionesses’ Magnificent Run Falls Short of Promotion
The women’s team, the Lionesses, matched the men’s silver-medal feat with a stellar run in Brazil, losing only one match throughout the weekend. Their campaign began with a gritty 19-12 win over Argentina, followed by a disciplined 14-5 victory against continental rivals South Africa.
On Sunday, the Lionesses recorded the tournament’s most lopsided result, trouncing China 46-0. However, they fell 12-24 to the clinical host nation, Brazil, in their final fixture. While the silver medal represents their first podium finish of the season, the Lionesses finished fifth overall in the season standings with 40 points, narrowly missing out on promotion to the core series.
Implications for Kenyan Rugby
The promotion of the Shujaa to the World Championship is a massive boost for the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU), ensuring the team returns to the global stage to compete against giants like Fiji, New Zealand, and South Africa. This success comes at a time of national pride in sports, providing a much-needed lift as the country navigates a difficult week marked by the Ol Kalou MP’s passing and the nationwide flood crisis.
Coach Kevin Wambua’s side will now shift their focus to the high-performance transition required for the elite level, while the Lionesses will look to build on their Sao Paulo momentum to challenge for promotion in the 2027 cycle.
