Both Kenya teams Shujaa and Lionesses are through to the semi-final of the opening World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series tournament in Dubai. 

The Lionesses set the pace on the second day with a 40-0 win over Mexico in their final Pool B match scoring six unanswered tries, five of which were converted. The win saw them finish top of Pool B despite having the same points with China. This is because the Lionesses had beaten China 17-12 on the opening day. 

In this match, Judith Okumu opened the scores in the second minute and Grace Okulu converted. It was not until in the fifth minute that Okulo dotted down the second try and converted to stretch the lead 14-0. 

Stella Wafula was next over in the eight minute but Okulu missed the two pointer for a comfortable 19-0 lead at half time. It took only one minute in the second half for the  Lionesses to continue the onslaught with a try by Naomi Amuguni. Okulu converted to stretch the lead 26-0. 

On resumption, Phoebe Otieno touched down in the fifth minute. A change of kickers saw Sinaida Nyachio add the extras. With the buzzer sounded, Sheila Chanjira closed the account with a try in the eighth minute and Okulu knocked over two points for the final 40-0 win. 

Date with Czechia

The result saw Kenya Lionesses book a date with Czechia in the cup quarter final. The match was a repeat of the Pool match where Czechia beat Kenya Lionesses 12-10. This time, the Kenyans returned the favor by winning 22-12. 

The Lionesses scored four tries with Amuguni crossing the line twice while Wafula and Nyachio added one each. Nyachio  slotted one conversion. Czechia replied with two tries by Anezka-Marta Sladkova one of which was converted by Julie Dolezilova. 

It was Czechia who were quick off the starting blocks with Sladkova scoring a try in the first minute. Dolezilova missed the conversion. Amuguni replied for Kenya Lionesses in the third minute and Nyachio converted for the lead to change hands 7-5 in the Lionesses favor.

Just like in the pool match, Kenya Lionesses were reduced to six players when Nyachio was sent to the cooler in the fifth minute. The numerical advantage saw Sladkova score the second try for Czechia in the ninth minute. Dolezilova converted for Czechia to regain the lead 12-7.

Kenya Lionesses reasserted themselves with Wafula scoring an unconverted try in the 10th minute to tie the scores 12-12. Nyachio missed the conversion. Amuguni completed her brace in the 13th minute and Nyachio dotted down in the 14th to steer Kenya Lionesses to the semi-finals where they face Argentina on Sunday. Okulu missed both conversions.

Uganda reach cup semis

The East Africa region will also have another team in the semi-final after Uganda shook off a slow start to qualify. They opened the day with a 24-17 win over Papua New Guinea in their final Pool A match. Peace Lekuru and Grace Nabaggala scored two tries each. Yvonne Najjuma and Nabaggala added one conversion each. 

PNG replied with a try each by Joyce Taravuna, Alice Lois and Barbara Sigere. Joanne Lagona who was red-carded in the second half converted Sigere’s try. 

In the cup quarter final, Uganda edged out Belgium 17-12 to qualify for Sunday’s semi-final against China. In this match, Nabaggala scored two tries and Lekuru one. Nabaggala added one conversion. 

Try scorers for Belgium were Cecile Blondiau and Noemie Van de Poele. Margaux Stevins converted one try in this match where Belgium were reduced to five players in the sixth minute after Stevins and Femke Soens were shown the yellow card. Soens was sent off in the 10th minute after being shown a second yellow card. 

In the other quarter final matches, Argentina beat Thailand 22-12 while China overcame Poland 31-10.

Germany stun Shujaa

Shujaa lost to Germany 12-24 in Pool C at the start of the second day to finish second and qualify for the cup quarter final. 

Patrick Odongo scored two tries one of which was converted by Anthony Omondi. Tim Lichtenberg scored a hattrick and John Dawe one for the Germans. Felix Hufnagel kicked over two conversions. 

Dawe exploited a numerical advantage to score the first try when Kevin Wekesa was shown the yellow card in the third minute. Hufnagel missed the conversion. Odongo restored parity with a try in the 10th minute. Omondi converted for the lead to change hands 7-5 in Kenya’s favor. 

Litchenberg canceled the lead with a try in the first minute of the second half. He crossed the line for his second in the second minute and this time, Hufnagel converted to stretch the lead 17-7. 

Odongo gave Shujaa a glimmer of hope with a try in the 12th minute to narrow the gap to 12-17 after Omondi missed the conversion. The lead was too close for comfort for Germany. Litchenberg completed his hat trick in the 14th minute and Hufnagel converted for a 24-12 win. 

Date with Japan

Kenya finished second in this pool and booked a date with Japan in the cup quarter final. They bounced back to narrowly beat Japan 21-19 to reach the semi-final. 

Samuel Asati, Nygel Amaitsa and Patrick Odongo scored one try each while Anthony Omondi slotted all the conversions. Japan also scored three tries through Yoshihiro Noguchi, Kippei Taninaka and Takamasa Maruo. Noguchi and Taninaka kicked over one conversion each. 

Japan dictated the pace from the kick off with Taninaka opening the scores in the second minute. He missed the conversion. Amaitsa replied for Kenya in the sixth minute. Omondi converted but Japan reclaimed the lead with a Noguchi try which Taninaka converted in the eighth minute. 

The lead changed hands for the third time in this match when Asati pulled one back in the 11th minute. Omondi added the extras as Kenya led 14-12. The closing stages saw Odongo over in the 13th minute and Omondi converted. 

When Festus Shihasi got Kenya’s  second red card of the tournament, Maruo pulled one back for Japan in the 17th minute and Noguchi converted for the final 21-19 score in Kenya’s favor. 

They will face Uruguay who knocked out Tonga 21-14. Germany saw off Hong Kong China 19-7 while Chile comfortably beat Georgia 26-7 in the other quarter final matches. 

Day two results and order of play, Sunday 

Men

Pool A: PNG 10 Georgia 19, Uruguay 33 Hong Kong China 0.

Pool B: Chile 24 Portugal 0, Japan 19 Tonga 5. 

Pool C: Uganda 40 Mexico 14, Kenya 12 Germany 24. 

Quarter final: Japan 19 Kenya 21, Uruguay 21 Tonga 14, Germany 19 Hong Kong China 7, Chile 26 Georgia 7; Semi-final: Kenya v Uruguay, Germany v Chile.

9th place semi final men: Portugal 22 PNG 19, Uganda 50 Mexico 0; Final: Portugal v Uganda.

11th place play-off: PNG v Hong Kong China.

Women: 

Pool A: PNG 17 Uganda 24, Belgium 17 Thailand 7.

Pool B: Mexico 0 Kenya 40, China 30 Czech 7. 

Pool C: Paraguay 12 Argentina 33, Poland 33 Hong Kong China 0.

Quarter final: China 31 Poland 10, Belgium 12 Uganda 17, Argentina 22 Thailand 12, Kenya 22 Czechia 12; Semi-final: China v Uganda, Argentina v Kenya; Final:

9th place semi final: PNG 33 Paraguay 26, Hong Kong China 22 Mexico 10; Final: PNG v Hong Kong China.

11th place play-off: Paraguay v Mexico