Shujaa commence preparations for European championship legs
By Joel Masibo, May 5, 2026Kenya’s national men’s rugby sevens side, Shujaa, has assembled for training at Kasarani Stadium as they step up preparations for the forthcoming European rounds of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
Eighteen players have already joined the residential camp, with the coaching staff fine-tuning strategies ahead of the key fixtures. The technical team has also been boosted by the addition of Chris Brown, who comes in to support the squad’s high-performance setup during the training period.
Shujaa are preparing for consecutive tournaments, beginning with the Valladolid stop in Spain from Friday, May 29 to Sunday, 31, 2026, before heading to Bordeaux, France, for the next leg scheduled between Friday, June 5 and Sunday, 7, 2026.
The squad is set to stay in camp until Wednesday, May 13, 2026, after which they will take a short break before traveling to Spain the following week.
The team approaches the European tour in high spirits after a strong showing in the opening round in Hong Kong, where they finished seventh. They capped off their campaign with a convincing 21-7 win over France in the seventh-place playoff.
Tough pool
Meanwhile, the fixtures for Shujaa have been released as the team intensifies its pursuit of promotion to the HSBC SVNS World Championship top tier. In a draw that offers little reprieve, Kevin Wambua’s charges have landed in a formidable Pool A for the next circuit in Valladolid, Spain. Kenya will face off against heavyweights South Africa, Great Britain, and Australia in the Valladolid leg.
This follow-up task will once again test the team’s mettle, coming hot on the heels of a gruelling Hong Kong leg where Shujaa faced Australia, New Zealand, and the USA.
Road to Promotion
Following the conclusion of the Hong Kong circuit on Sunday, April 20, only two legs remain to determine which teams secure promotion back to Division One.
To attain top-tier status for the 2026/27 HSBC SVNS season, Shujaa must consistently progress beyond the quarterfinal stages in the remaining two stops. Currently, the team has earned 8 points from the Hong Kong leg, while leaders South Africa took home the maximum 20.
The aggregate points from all three legs will determine the 2025–26 champions, while a finish outside the top eight across the series would confirm a stay in Tier 2.