Kenya’s return as a core team for the World Rugby Sevens World Series after a year’s hiatus was not going to be easy. The first competitive tournament since playing in the promotion/relegation event in Madrid in May, 2024 could only mirror what awaits this team christened Shujaa in the six-leg Series before the penultimate round in Los Angeles in May.

Like most teams, Kenya is rebuilding and had an unlikely start to their preparations when the team missed two weeks at the start of their training when players’ contracts were still being prepared. Although this was partly solved and two key and experienced players missed the flight to Dubai. Coach Kevin Wambua and his technical bench needed these two weeks to ensure the right structures were in place because high-octane rugby during the Series is unforgiving. 

Other team officials admitted the late start was not conducive to their preparations. There is no hiding place on the big stage and Wambua, in an earlier interview stated they wanted to start on a high. “We have been working hard on a system which is what got us back to the core status,” he recalled. 

Consistency

The coach added consistency, discipline, and maintaining their structures would be key in the Series. By way of explanation, he identified setpieces, game management, restarts, lineouts as some of the areas they needed to excel in Dubai.

Other teams that had been competing in the event had mastered these tactics. In one year, the game has changed. The set pieces have become pivotal areas where a game is won or lost. Equally important is the line speed and physicality at contact.

All these were evident in Kenya’s performance in Dubai where they narrowly lost to France and edged out South Africa before losing to Australia. Immediately after Kenya finished 10th following a loss to Uruguay – another newly promoted side – the ‘keyboard experts’ were already at work analyzing the team’s performance.

New players

Across the board, Kenya had one of the countries blooding new players in the Series and Dubai was a stage to learn and correct any mistakes before playing in Cape Town. 

As the team heads to South Africa, the only way is up as the players keep a positive outlook from lessons learned in Dubai. 

They will be up against Australia for the second time and the red-hot Spain whose tenacity during their eight-year stint as a core team has become a blueprint for other teams. Last season, Argentina who finished third in Dubai lit up the stage despite being a non-traditional rugby powerhouse. 

Glimpses of Kenya’s capability were evident in Dubai and it is only a matter of time before the team explodes. The fans are back on the terraces to empty their lungs for the next six months.

Cape Town Pools

Pool A: Fiji Great Britain, Uruguay; Pool B: Spain, Australia, Kenya; Pool C: Argentina, South Africa, Ireland; Pool D: New Zealand, France, USA.