Kenya Sevens endured a difficult but ultimately significant outing at the Valladolid Sevens in Spain, finishing eighth and keeping their hopes of retaining HSBC SVNS core status alive ahead of the decisive final leg in Bordeaux, France.

Drawn in a daunting Pool A alongside Australia, South Africa and Great Britain, Shujaa faced one of the toughest assignments of the tournament. Their campaign began with a narrow 15-10 defeat to Australia before a 14-0 loss to South Africa left them facing a possible early exit.

With qualification hanging in the balance, Kevin Wambua’s men produced when it mattered most, defeating Great Britain 12-7 in their final pool match. The result proved decisive as Kenya squeezed into the Cup quarter-finals as the lowest-ranked qualifier, keeping alive their push for survival in the HSBC SVNS Championship.

Shujaa’s reward was another meeting with Australia, but the quarter-final encounter ended in disappointment as the Australians cruised to a 21-0 victory. Kenya then fell 14-5 to hosts France in the 7th-place playoff to conclude the tournament in eighth position.

Across the five matches, Kenya scored 27 points and conceded 71, crossing the whitewash five times. While the numbers highlighted some of the challenges the side faced against elite opposition, their ability to recover from two opening defeats and reach the knockout stages demonstrated resilience at a crucial stage of the season.

The eighth-place finish ensured Kenya remained firmly in the fight to secure their place in the 2027 HSBC SVNS Series. Shujaa currently sit on 14 points and remain above key rivals Great Britain, USA, Uruguay and Germany in the standings heading into the final tournament of the campaign.

Attention now turns to Bordeaux, where the final leg of the HSBC SVNS Championship will be staged from June 5-7. Kenya have once again been handed a difficult draw and will face South Africa, Fiji and Great Britain in Pool A.

The clash against Great Britain could prove particularly significant given both sides are battling to remain among the world’s elite sevens nations. A positive result against the British, coupled with a strong overall showing in Bordeaux, would significantly boost Kenya’s chances of preserving their SVNS status.

Bordeaux represents the final opportunity for Shujaa to secure enough points and finish above their closest rivals in the standings. After surviving a stern examination in Valladolid, Kenya Sevens remain masters of their own destiny as they prepare for the most important weekend of their season. A quarter final finish in Bordeaux will ensure they join the big boys league HSBC SVNS 1.