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Shujaa kick off Hong Kong 7s with painful defeat to Australia
17th April, 2026 02:51 PM
Shujaa’s final quest for a return to the World Sevens Championships kicked off with a false start following a 14-5 loss to Australia at the Hong Kong 7s on Friday, April 17, 2026.
Pooled in a tricky Group C alongside Australia, New Zealand, and the USA, Shujaa entered the clash on a high. Nigel Amaitsa’s play nearly set up Patrick Odongo for the opening try; however, the score was put under review and subsequently disallowed after Odongo was adjudged to have committed a knock-on in the build-up.
The Australians took advantage of the momentum shift, striking first through Josh Turner, who gave them a 5-0 lead. Shujaa’s comeback efforts were repeatedly hampered by handling errors, missing another key opportunity to level.
Just before halftime, James Turner crossed the line for Australia’s second try, with Dietrich Roache successfully adding the conversion to extend the lead to 14-0.
Australia remained disciplined after the restart, but Kenya managed to pull one back through a Dennis Abukuse try. While the score set the stage for a grandstand finish, Kevin Wambua’s side, playing without the injured Christant Ojwang, could not close the gap further. Abukuse’s effort marked Kenya’s first try since returning to compete for a spot in Division One.
The Road Ahead
Shujaa continues their promotion quest at 3:47 pm against New Zealand, while Australia faces the USA side that dominated the Challenger Series legs to emerge as favourites.
On Saturday, April 18, 2026, Kenya will conclude their group stage matches against the USA at 8:24 am.
The high-stakes campaign in Hong Kong is the first of three tournaments, followed by Valladolid and Bordeaux, that will determine the lineup for the elite HSBC SVNS 1.
The Qualification Path
To progress, Kenya must finish among the top two in their group or rank as one of the two best third-placed teams. Ultimately, only the top eight teams across the three legs will earn promotion to the top tier for the 2027 season.
After dropping to SVNS 2 at the end of the 2024–2025 season, Shujaa is looking to return to the stage with the big boys.
The team earned the status after an impressive performance in the final round of the SVNS Division Two tournament held in São Paulo on Saturday, March 28, and Sunday, March 29, 2026, where they won four out of five matches.
