Cape Town 7s: Shujaa mount heroic comeback to shock Australia

Kenya 7s national team; Shujaa delivered a thrilling performance to overcome Australia 19-12 in their opening Cape Town 7s match on Saturday 7 December.

Coming off contrasting finishes at the Dubai 7s leg last weekend where Aussie 7s were placed seventh while Kenya settled for tenth, the two sides clashed in a fiercely contested game, with Kenya showcasing resilience and grit.

Australia seized an early advantage, capitalizing on Kenya's struggles in the set pieces.

James Turner touched down after a well-executed scrum, and the successful conversion put Australia ahead.

Moments later, another Kenyan lineout mishap led to a scrum, allowing Hyden Sargeant to dive over for Australia’s second try.

However, the conversion fell short, leaving the score at 12-0.

Kenya showed flashes of brilliance, orchestrating promising moves through Amaitsa and Kevin Wekesa. Yet, Australia's defense held firm, forcing turnovers and stifling Kenya’s attack.

In the dying minutes of the first half, Kenya finally broke through.

A slick open-side play saw George Ooro link up with scrum-half Samuel Asati, who passed to Nygel Amaitsa before Wekesa completed the move to score. The conversion was successful, sending Kenya went into halftime with renewed belief, trailing 12-7.

The second half began with Australia pressing deep into Kenya's 22. While Kenya initially lost possession, they regained it after a penalty against Australia.

However, Ooro's progress was halted by a crunching Australian tackle, briefly derailing Kenya’s momentum.

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Kenya’s turning point came from a moment of controversy.

Abukuse chased a loose ball and was tackled dangerously close to the try line by an Australian defender. The referee awarded Kenya a penalty try and handed Australia a yellow card, reducing them to six players. The scores were now at 12-14.

With the numerical advantage, Kenya upped the tempo. From a scrum, Ooro stormed over the line to score the decisive try, evoking memories of Kenya’s former powerhouse Alvin Otieno. The successful conversion sealed the 19-12 victory for Kenya.

The win showcased Kenya's fighting spirit, overturning a rocky start with disciplined defense and clinical execution in the second half.

With momentum on their side, Kenya 7s will be looking to build on this victory as they face Spain at 3:16 pm.