The Kenya national seven-a-side rugby team, Shujaa signalled their intention of returning to the top tier of the World Rugby Sevens competition after finishing seventh at the completion of Hong Kong Sevens, the first of the three-tournament championship competitions introduced by World Rugby.

Shujaa achieved this feat despite being drawn in a tough Pool that had Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. Additionally, they endured the ‘unique’ format rules conjured by World Rugby and used in the knock out stages.  

Kenya qualified for the quarter finals in Hong Kong and were narrowly knocked out by the eventual champions South Africa. Under ordinary circumstances, Kenya would have proceeded to the fifth and sixth place play offs but World Rugby in their wisdom allocated the slots to Fiji and Australia based on their pool stage results!

Seventh Place

But, despite the hiccup, Kenya overcame France 21-7 in the seventh place play off.

When Shujaa finished second to the USA in the Tier Two competition, Kevin Wambua, the coach told www.thesportsnewsarena.com that the intention was to finish among the top eight in the championship. He backed his words by stating that Shujaa had faced most of the teams in the championship and although it was going to be tough, they would step up.

They did step up by running Australia close in the first match losing 5-14 and fell to New Zealand 12-28 before edging out the USA 17-10 to reach the quarters. In the quarter finals, they came close to edging out South Africa in a derby falling by two points.

It is this performance they hope to build on when they travel to Spain for the next tournament where they have been drawn against South Africa, Australia and Great Britain.

Crucial Lessons

The opening tournament lived up to its’ top billing and gave an indication on what should be expected in the next two tournaments in Spain and France. Germany, the USA, and Uruguay who qualified for the championship learned crucial lessons for the next round. France and Great Britain who competed in the top tier failed to finish among the top eight teams in Hong Kong.

In the women’s category, the rivalry between New Zealand and Australia continues. New Zealand edged out their rivals 19-14 in the final. 

Tough Start

Africa’s representatives, South Africa, had a tough start. Despite a commendable 19-5 win over Great Britain, a top tier team at the pool stage, they were unable to repeat the result in the ninth place play-off losing 14-19 and were beaten 26-10 by Argentina in the 11th place final.

In the second leg, they are likely to welcome back some of their key players who were rested because of injuries. They have been drawn in Pool B and face Australia, Fiji, and and the USA.

Hong Kong Sevens, Pools, Results

Women

Pool A: New Zealand, Fiji, Japan, Brazil; Pool B: Australia, Canada, Great Britain, South Africa; Pool C: USA, France, Argentina, Spain.

France 29 Argentina 14, USA 24 Spain 7, Canada 41 Great Britain 7, Australia 33 South Africa 0, France 31 Spain 14, USA 27 Argentina 5, Canada 31 South Africa 0, Australia 34 Great Britain 7, Fiji 5 Japan 12, New Zealand 29 Brazil 12, Fiji 15 Brazil 12, New Zealand 38 Japan 7, Argentina 12 Spain 17, USA 14 France 19, Great Britain 5 South Africa 19, Australia 19 Canada 17, Japan 34 Brazil 7, New Zealand 38 Fiji 0.

Cup Quarter Finals: Canada 19 USA 7, New Zealand 32 Spain 5, France 22 Japan 12, Australia 45 Fiji 5; Semi Finals: Canada 12 New Zealand 31, France 5 Australia 26; Play Off: Canada 7 France 31; Final: New Zealand 19 Australia 14.

Fifth Place Play Off: USA 24 Japan 19.

Seventh Place Play Off: Fiji 31 Spain 12.

Ninth Place Semi Final: Argentina 17 Brazil 19, South Africa 14 Great Britain 19; Final: Brazil 17 Great Britain 12.

11th Place Play Off: Argentina 25 South Africa 10. 

Standing: New Zealand (20), Australia (18), France (16), Canada (14), USA (12), Japan (10), Fiji (8), Spain (6), Brazil (4), Great Britain (3), Argentina (2), South Africa (1).

Men

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

Argentina 38 Spain 14, South Africa 12 Uruguay 7, France 22 Great Britain 7, Fiji 42 Germany 5, Argentina 40 Uruguay 19, South Africa 12 Spain 31, France 35 Germany 0, Fiji 24 Great Britain 10, New Zealand 19 USA 12, Australia 14 Kenya 5, New Zealand 28 Kenya 12, Australia 38 USA 5, Spain 21 Uruguay 0, South Africa 38 Argentina 0, Great Britain 14 Germany 17, Fiji 26 France 24, USA 10 Kenya 17, Australia 12 New Zealand 5.

Cup Quarter Finals: France 10 New Zealand 1, South Africa 26 Kenya 24. Australia 5 Spain 19, Fiji 17 Argentina 24; Semi Finals: New Zealand 14 South Africa 26, Spain 12 Argentina 19; Play Off: New Zealand 28 Spain 32; Final: South Africa 35 Argentina 7.

Fifth Place Play Off: Fiji 26 Australia 10.

Seventh Place Play Off: France 7 Kenya 21.

Ninth Place Semi Final: USA 12 Great Britain 17; Germany 12 Uruguay 35; Final: Great Britain 14 Uruguay 26.

11th Place Play Off: USA 15 Germany 19.Standing: South Africa (20), Argentina (18), Spain (16), New Zealand (14), Fiji (12), Australia (10), Kenya (8), France (6), Uruguay (4), Great Britain 3), Germany (2), USA (1).