A look at Kenya Sevens’ history against their Hong Kong opponents
Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 17.04.26. | 09:29
Shujaa’s recent record against Australia paints a difficult picture, with the Kenyans failing to register a win in their last five meetings
Kenya’s national sevens side, Shujaa, head into the opening leg of the HSBC SVNS World Championship Series in Hong Kong with a challenging Pool C assignment and a history that offers both caution and optimism.
The tournament, set for Friday, 17 to Sunday, 19 April at the Kai Tak Sports Park, will see Kenya come up against Australia, New Zealand, and the USA.
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Shujaa have faced these sides frequently on the global circuit with varying outcomes.
Shujaa’s recent record against Australia paints a difficult picture, with the Kenyans failing to register a win in their last five meetings.
Australia edged Kenya 21-7 in July 2024 during the Paris Olympics before securing tighter victories of 19-12 in December and 12-7 in February 2023.
A more dominant 31-14 win in November 2024 further underlined the Australians’ upper hand, although an earlier 19-19 draw in December 2022 showed that Kenya can still match them on their day.
Recent Head-to-Head (Australia vs Kenya):
July 24, 2024: Australia 21-7 Kenya
December 7, 2024: Australia 19-12 Kenya
November 30, 2024: Australia 31-14 Kenya
February 25, 2023: Australia 12-7 Kenya
December 1, 2022: Australia 19-19 Kenya
New Zealand dominance continues
Against New Zealand, Shujaa have struggled to break through, with the All Blacks Sevens maintaining a stronghold in recent clashes.
In January 2025, Kenya fell 19-12 and 29-14 in back-to-back meetings, continuing a trend that stretches back to 2023, where Shujaa suffered heavy defeats, including 30-5, 29-5, and 33-5 losses.
Kenya Sevens vs New Zealand past results
26 January 2025 Shujaa 12-19 New Zealand
24 January 2025 Shujaa 14-29 New Zealand
12 May 2023 Shujaa 5-30 New Zealand
31 March 223 Shujaa 5-29 New Zealand
28 January 2023 Shujaa 5-33 New Zealand
However, Kenya’s encounters with the USA provide a more balanced narrative and a source of confidence heading into Hong Kong.
Shujaa secured an emphatic 32-14 win over the Americans in March 2026 in Brazil, having also beaten them 17-10 in March 2025 in Montevideo and 19-0 in May 2023.
While the USA have also claimed wins, including a narrow 14-10 result during the Nairobi leg of the HSBC SVNS 2, the head-to-head suggests Kenya can compete strongly in this fixture.
Kenya Sevens vs USA
29 March 2026: Shujaa 32-14 USA
21 March 2026: Shujaa 10-14 USA
15 February 2026: Shujaa 5-21 USA
4 May 2025: Shujaa 12-17 USA
29 March 2025: Shujaa 17-10 USA
25 January 2025: Shujaa 21-26 USA
14 May 2023: Shujaa 19-0 USA
8 April 2023: Shujaa 19-21 USA
Meanwhile, Pool A features South Africa, Argentina, Spain, and Uruguay. At the same time, Pool B will see Fiji, France, Great Britain, and Germany battle it out, setting the stage for an exciting start to the championship.
The Hong Kong leg marks the first of three crucial tournaments in the series, with subsequent stops scheduled in Valladolid, Spain, and Bordeaux, France.
At stake is more than just pride. The top eight teams at the end of the circuit will earn promotion to the 2026/27 HSBC SVNS Division One, while the bottom four will be relegated to Division II.
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Kenya arrive in Hong Kong buoyed by strong recent performances. Shujaa sealed their place in the World Championship Series during the SĂŁo Paulo leg of the HSBC SVNS 2.
Before Brazil, the team had already demonstrated consistency with third-place finishes in both Nairobi and Montevideo.