Rugby Africa President on how Kenya can compete with England and New Zealand

Rugby Africa President Herbert Mensah believes Kenya has the tools to compete with the world’s strongest rugby nations, including England and New Zealand

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The Ghanaian administrator pointed to the country’s exceptional talent and deep-rooted passion for the game.

Kenya’s recent showing at the HSBC SVNS Division 2 tournament in Nairobi served as evidence of that potential. The Kenyans won four of their pool matches before falling to the USA in their final group outing.

Shujaa head coach Kevin Wambua outlines lessons learned from HSBC SVNS 2

One of the standout moments of their campaign came against Germany. Trailing 10–0 at half-time, Kenya mounted a spirited comeback in the second half, scoring two quick tries to force a 10–10 draw at full-time.

In extra time, the home crowd was sent into raptures when Festus Shiasi powered through the German defense to score the match-winning try.

Such performances are not new for Shujaa. In 2024, during the Africa Men’s Sevens tournament that doubled as the Olympic qualifiers, Kenya shocked favourites South Africa with a 17–12 victory to secure a direct ticket to the Olympics.

That triumph came at a difficult period for the team, as they were still coming to terms with relegation from the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

Kenya responded with an impressive run in the Challenger Series, earning a return to the top tier.

However, on Thursday, 1 May 2025, Shujaa were officially relegated from the HSBC SVNS 1 following World Rugby’s confirmation of a major overhaul of the competition.

The revamped format reduced the number of core teams from 12 to eight per gender, a move aimed at ensuring long-term sustainability and driving global growth ahead of the LA 2028 Olympics.

The decision confirmed what had increasingly seemed inevitable.

Despite a heroic performance at the Singapore Sevens, where Kenya reached the final and pushed Fiji all the way before losing 21–12, the points gained were not enough to secure survival.

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Kenya collected 18 points in Singapore; their best return since rejoining the series, but finished the season with 36 points. Great Britain, who occupied the final safe spot, ended the campaign with 50 points.

Kenya’s pedigree on the world stage remains unquestionable.

In 2016, Shujaa claimed their maiden World Rugby Sevens Series title after stunning Fiji 30–7 in Singapore under the guidance of the late coach Benjamin Ayimba. These achievements reinforce Mensah’s belief that Kenya can compete with the elite.

He, however, stressed that talent alone is not enough. According to Mensah, structural support and sustained investment are crucial if Kenyan players are to consistently perform at the highest level.

“Kenya’s talent is extraordinary, and I keep saying that we all understand what Kenya has. People talk about the Serengeti, but I keep explaining that Kenya could be best known for its rugby.

You may not win the FIFA World Cup, but I tell you this, you can beat the All Blacks and England on any given day,” he started.

He called on the government through the Ministry of Sports and the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) to invest more in its talents to achieve the best results.

“But can we get the government and the union to invest a little bit more? Strength and fitness training, and everything else that the top five countries in the world have, that is what will make the difference.

That is why investment is needed in both men’s and women’s rugby,” he averred.

At the same time, Mensah stressed the need to invest in women’s rugby, which has been on the rise in Africa.

“Do not be disappointed in the girls either. With a different technical approach, you can see that they have what it takes to be the best,” he concluded.