Kenya 7s left Hong Kong with a seventh-place finish and eight valuable points in the HSBC SVNS World Championship standings, keeping their hopes of securing top-tier status alive heading into the final legs of the series.
Shujaa’s campaign at Kai Tak Sports Park was one of resilience, as they navigated a tough pool that saw them fall 14–5 to Australia and 28–12 to New Zealand before producing a decisive 17–10 win over USA to book a place in the quarter-finals. That victory proved a turning point, reigniting belief within the squad after a slow start.
In the knockout stage, Kenya pushed South Africa all the way in a thrilling quarter-final, eventually falling 26–22 in the final moments of the contest. Despite the disappointment of missing out on the main cup, Shujaa responded strongly, closing their campaign with a commanding 21–7 victory over France in the 7th place playoff.
Across the five matches played, Kenya registered two wins and three losses, scoring 77 points while conceding 85. While the numbers reflect a mixed outing, the team’s ability to bounce back in key moments underlined their competitiveness against top-tier opposition.
The Hong Kong rankings
With the World Championship series moving to Valladolid (29-31 May) and Bordeaux (5-7) June, Shujaa must maintain a top-eight position across the three legs to secure qualification for the 2026/27 HSBC SVNS 1.
Attention now turns to the upcoming tournaments, where Kenya will be aiming to build on their Hong Kong performance and strengthen their push for a place among the world’s elite.
