All or nothing: Shujaa locks horns with Germany in crucial HSBC 7s promotion qualifier

The Kenya 7s national team, Shujaa, has a date with destiny on Sunday, June 1, against archrivals Germany. The match will be played at 6:20 pm (EAT).

A win in this match will guarantee Kenya an automatic slot in the grand stage of the HSBC World Rugby 7s Series. This is the place they once called home.

Kevin Wambua’s charges will meet Germany after finishing second in Pool B, while their opponents secured third place in their pool.

They will be looking to avenge their recent two losses to Germany this year.

They met during the Dubai 7s Challenger Series in January, where Germany saw off Shujaa 24-12. That was the first loss under Coach Wambua.

They then met during the final Challenger Series in Munich, Germany, where the hosts denied Shujaa a final spot following a narrow 19-17 defeat.

Their previous meetings were during the 2021 and 2023 Safari 7s, where Shujaa won 12-5 and 19-5, respectively.

The journey to this point has not been a walk in the park.

Shujaa make light work of Chile to storm HSBC 7s playoff quarterfinals

They dominated the Challenger Series with a gold medal in Dubai, a hard-fought bronze in Montevideo, and a fifth-place finish in Germany.

The Kenyans have registered two wins in this HSBC 7s playoff. They started their campaign with a 19-12 victory over Samoa before suffering a narrow 10-5 loss to Spain.

They ended their pool matches with a 36-7 victory over Chile to set up the mouth-watering fixture against Germany.

Only the top four teams from this playoff will earn a slot in the HSBC Grand Stage.

This is their moment. They will be looking to use their experience, flair, and unwavering teamwork to dismantle their defenses and plant the Kenyan flag firmly on the pitch.

This isn't just about a tournament. This is about etching their names back into the annals of rugby sevens history. This is about inspiring a generation.

This is about proving that, with unwavering belief, anything is possible.

Meanwhile, Spain, having topped their pool, will take on Canada in their qualifier match. Uruguay, after securing second place in Pool A, will go up against Chile, who claimed third place in Pool B.

Mike Friday’s USA team will clash with Samoa in their qualifier match. The USA had an impressive run, winning all their matches in the pool stage, while Samoa faced defeats in all their matches in Pool B.

Oscar Okaron parts ways with Administration Police Warriors

Friday, May 31, 2024

Kenya 19-12 Samoa

Kenya 5-10 Spain

Saturday, June 1, 2024

Kenya 36-7 Chile

Sunday, June 2, 2024

HSBC SVNS QUALIFIERS PAIRINGS:

Winner qualifies

Qualifier 1: USA vs. Samoa

Qualifier 2: Germany vs. Kenya, 7:20 p.m.

Qualifier 3: Uruguay vs. Chile

Qualifier 4: Spain vs. Canada