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Saving the best for last! Shujaa and Lionesses fly high in Sao Paulo HSBC SVNS 2 Series
30th March, 2026 07:53 AM
Kenya’s rugby sevens team, Shujaa, recorded a highly successful outing, winning four games out of five to clinch second place in the final leg and, more importantly, second place overall in the HSBC SVNS 2 Series with 50 points.
Shujaa was placed third overall with 32 points heading to the decisive leg and needed at least two victories to remain in contention. They began their campaign in style, overpowering the German national rugby sevens team 38-7, before narrowly falling 14-12 to a strong Belgian national rugby sevens team side in their second outing.
Their most telling game came on Saturday, the final encounter, where they delivered a commanding performance to secure qualification for the 2026 World Championship Series after thrashing Canada 40-0.
Saturday cruise
A final defeat to Belgium in a 12 – 14 loss impacted minimally on their overall Sao Paulo performance, as the qualification was already assured.
Shujaa continued the cruise on Sunday with a convincing display to defeat Uruguay 26–14.
Kenya’s men’s sevens then powered past the USA Eagles 31–14 in their second match to continue their fine start.
The win marked the first time Kevin Wambua’s charges beat the USA in the Division game, having gone down to them both in Nairobi and Montevideo legs.
The comprehensive win confirmed Shujaa’s place in the upcoming World Championship event in Hong Kong, where they will battle for a top-eight finish and a return to the top-tier HSBC SVNS competition next season.
Lionesses’ fall short
A dramatic comeback in the Sao Paulo leg on Sunday, March 29, 2026, saw Kenya thrash fourth-placed China to move within inches of sealing a championship berth.
Their quest was ultimately thwarted at the final hurdle after a 24-12 defeat to host nation Brazil in the fourth-place decider, dashing their hopes.
Simon Odongo’s girls entered the final day on an impressive run, defeating neighbours and rivals South Africa 14–5 in a statement win. The winning momentum extended to match three with a 24–17 win over Spain in a high-stakes encounter where Janet Okello scored a brace.
The Lionesses ended the day top of the table for the Sao Paulo leg, having leapfrogged Spain and South Africa in the round-robin standings.
The girls now to shift through the challenger ranks, with a potential path back to the top tier (SVNS 1) not expected until 2028
