Kenya 7s coach lays out targets for South America promotion push
By Luke Oluoch, March 13, 2026Kenya’s 7s men’s rugby coach, Kevin Wambua, has set ambitious targets for the Shujaa team ahead of the HSBC SVNS Division 2 South American legs in Montevideo and São Paulo.
The team approaches the two crucial legs on a morale-boosting note, having finished third in the concluded leg in Nairobi, Kenya, held on Saturday, February 14, and Sunday, February 15, 2026, at the Nyayo National Stadium.
With the performance on home soil boosting their chances in the race for promotion to the main series, Wambua says there will be no resting on their laurels with the task at hand.
Top Four finish
“I can say positively the boys have picked up well, and hopefully heading into Montevideo, the goal is to remain in the top four and stand a chance to compete to get back to the main series. I believe the boys are up for the task,” he said in an interview with KRU.
His sentiments follow the unveiling of a 14-man squad for the decisive leg on Friday, March 13, 2026.
The Montevideo leg will be held from Saturday, March 12, to Sunday, March 13, 2026, while the São Paulo leg will be held from Saturday, March 28, to Sunday, March 29, 2026.
Ayimba returns
Among the notable inclusions is Gabriel Ayimba, who rejoins the side after missing the Nairobi leg. Ayimba has been a crucial cog in the Strathmore Leos ace side and will look to add to his budding profile with the national team setup.
Wambua’s charges enjoyed a memorable run in the Nairobi leg, with victories against Canada and Germany, demonstrating their attacking flair and resilience.
Shujaa, however, saw their remarkable winning streak come to an end after a heartbreaking 21–5 loss to the USA.
Promotion race
The result dropped them to third as Germany eventually claimed the men’s title.
Following the Nairobi leg, Germany, which bagged gold (20 points), is in a strong early lead, with Shujaa coming in at third. The USA and Uruguay are also in contention.