Shujaa land familiar rivals in Valladolid leg of HSBC Sevens
By Luke Oluoch, April 20, 2026The fixtures for the Kenya Sevens (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. The leg, scheduled for May 29 to May 31, 2026, will see Kenya pit its wits against heavyweights South Africa, Great Britain, and Australia.
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.
Renewing rivalries
Kenya is set to renew its rivalry with South Africa, the newly crowned Hong Kong winners who recently edged out Argentina to bag the title. Shujaa will be seeking revenge after a narrow 24-22 loss to the Blitzboks in the Hong Kong quarterfinals.
The defeat saw Kenya drop to the seventh-place playoff, where they eventually overcame France to finish 7th overall.
In the other pools:
- Pool B: Argentina, New Zealand, Uruguay, and Germany.
- Pool C: Spain, Fiji, France, and the USA.
In the women’s category, New Zealand are in Pool A alongside Japan, Brazil and Argentina as Australia faces USA, Fiji and South Africa in Pool B. France, Canada, Spain and Great Britain are in Pool C.
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.