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Shujaa edge USA after a difficult start at Hong Kong 7s
18th April, 2026 09:36 AM
Kenya’s Shujaa bounced back to their winning ways after beating the USA 17-10 on Saturday morning, April 18, 2026, after a difficult opening day at the Hong Kong 7s. The Saturday victory sees Shujaa set a date with South Africa in the Main Cup quarter-finals.
Difficult outing
Meanwhile, it was a difficult opening day for Shujaa in Hong Kong on Friday, April 17, 2026. In their first match, Shujaa fell to Australia after trailing 14-0 at halftime. Kenya 7s struggled to find momentum in the opening half, with Australia capitalising on early opportunities to build a comfortable lead.
The second half saw a spirited performance from Shujaa. Off the restart, Abukuse crossed over for Shujaa’s opening try, bringing some life into the contest. Shujaa tightened up defensively and put up a fight, limiting Australia’s scoring chances and making it a far more competitive second period despite the early deficit.
The second game against New Zealand proved equally testing. Shujaa found it difficult to break through in the first half, with their only breakthrough coming in the dying moments when Yokooh sliced through the New Zealand defense to register Kenya’s first points of the match.
In the second half, Amaitsa added to the scoreboard with a well-worked try under the posts, converting his own effort to narrow the gap. Despite their determination, Shujaa were unable to add points, with New Zealand maintaining control to secure a 28-12 victory.
The side’s head coach Kevin Wambua earlier unveiled the lineup as Shujaa’s push to regain a place in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
The selected squad largely retains the core group that featured in the previous two legs held in Montevideo and Sao Paulo, with just a single adjustment. Brian Tanga has been drafted in to take the place of Ojwang, signaling the technical bench’s continued trust in the team’s cohesion and stability.
Shujaa squad for Hong Kong Championship:
George Ooro
Kevin Wekesa
Vincent Onyala
Denis Abukuse
Gabriel Ayimba
John Okoth
Samuel Asati
Nygel Amaitsa
David Nyangige
Brian Tanga
Festus Shiasi
Patrick Odongo
Floyd Wabwire
The Hong Kong Championship is featuring top-tier international opponents, offering Shujaa a crucial platform to demonstrate their intent of making a return to the global stage.
