Shujaa to name Rugby World Cup squad on Friday

The men’s national rugby 7s side Shujaa will on Friday name the squad that will be flying down to South Africa to take part in the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens set to be held in Cape Town from 9-11 September.

This will be Shujaa’s sixth consecutive World Cup appearance after they booked a ticket to the tournament after finishing third in the 2022 Rugby Africa Sevens tournament played in Uganda that was used as a qualification tournament with top three securing their spots.

“The men's national sevens team, Shujaa is set to compete at their sixth consecutive Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town, South Africa from 9th to 11th September 2022. Head Coach Damian McGrath will announce the final squad to this tournament on Friday morning,” Kenya Rugby Union announced.

World Cup History

Shujaa made its Rugby World Cup Sevens debut in 2001 at Mar del Plata in Argentina.

Kenya had the previous year hosted the qualifiers in Nairobi, losing 26-14 in the final match to Zimbabwe. The two sides joined South Africa as the continental representatives at the tournament, which was now in its third edition, the first two editions played in 1993 with a follow up in 1997.

Shujaa finish sixth in Los Angeles 7s to settle for 12th overall place

The side coached by Bill Githinji would lose all their group stage matches and ended up in the bowl quarter finals where they registered their first ever World Cup win, a 12-7 win over France that saw them reach the semis of this category.

The side would fall to a 35-12 bowl semifinal defeat to Chile consequently bowing out of the tournament.

Kenya’s 2001 RWC Sevens Results

Group Stages

17-33 v South Korea

10-31 v Ireland

7-52 v Fiji

7-36 v Argentina

7-14 v Russia

Bowl Quarters

12 -7 v France

Gor Mahia in hot water as player heads to FIFA, demands millions

Bowl Semis

12-35 v Chile

Squad: Ken Aswani, Benjamin Ayimba (captain), Stephen Gitonga, Allan Hicks, Felix Ochieng, Anthony Ongoro, Allan Wamanga, Mitchell Ocholla, Oscar Osir, Paul Murunga COACH Bill Githinji

2005

Kenya easily won the African qualifiers for the 2005 World Cup, defeating all opposition en route to Hong Kong.

The side doing duty in Hong Kong had Oscar Osir, Felix Ochieng and Benjamin Ayimba together with Coach Bill Githinji, survivors from the 2001 squad.

They were joined by the likes of Les Mango, Victor Sudi and Sidney Ashioya a bunch of young, exciting players who were making a mark on the game. Big Dennis Mwanja, nicknamed the “Iron Man” would miss out on this tournament with a knee injury.

Kenya Simbas to start final World Cup qualifying campaign against USA

Their showing was however underwhelming. They beat Uruguay and Tunisia in group play but fell to South Africa, Argentina and Russia. A win over Hong Kong in the Bowl Quarters was followed by a tame loss to Italy in the bowl semis.

Squad: Felix Ochieng, Peter Abuoga, Edwin Shimenga, Victor Sudi, Leslie Mango, Allan Makaka,Oscar Osir (captain), Benjamin Ayimba, Sidney Ashioya, Lucas Onyango, Newton Ong’alo, Peter Ocholla COACH: Bill Githinji

Ofafa Jericho edge Upper Hill to be crowned Nairobi region 7s champions

2009

KRU settled on former skipper Benjamin Ayimba to take over the team, assisted by former players Felix Ochieng as Assistant Coach and Oscar Osir as team manager.

Players such as Victor Oduor, Lavin Asego, Humphrey Kayange and Collins Injera had burst onto the limelight as Kenya became a tough nut to crack on the IRB Sevens Circuit, securing successive top ten finishes in the seasons since Ayimba’s appointment. They went into the 2009 World Cup in Dubai off a series of strong displays.

Playing in Pool E, Kenya would reach the Melrose Cup quarters as one of the best runners up. They started with a 29-7 win over fellow Africans Tunisia, followed this up with a 43-7 win over Hong Kong before falling to England 26-7.

Up next for Kenya were Fiji, the defending champions. Lavin Asego scored and converted his own try as Kenya led Fiji 7-0 in the main cup quarter finals at half time. Second half tries from Humphrey Kayange, Collins Injera and Biko Adema saw Kenya pull off a huge upset, the 26-7 result knocking out Fiji, Kenya booking a semifinal date against Argentina.

The semifinal was a tense affair, Argentina edging out Kenya 12-0 to reach the final. Wales beat Argentina to the title. Kenya had shown remarkable growth thus far. A feat that earned them automatic qualification to the 2013 World Cup in Moscow as well as respect from the entire world.

Squad: Humphrey Kayange (captain), Allan Onyango, Victor Oduor, Ben Nyambu, Wilson Kopondo, Lavin Asego, Biko Adema, Innocent Simiyu, Collins Injera, Sidney Ashioya, Gibson Weru, Horace Otieno COACH: Benjamin Ayimba

2013

Playing out of Pool C in Russia, Shujaa topped the table with three wins over Phillipines, Zimbabwe and Samoa. They would then defeat France 24-19 in sudden death extra to set up a return to the semifinals for a second successive tournament. They would eventually fall to a 12-5 loss to England at the rain swept Luzhniki Stadium before going down 29-5 to Fiji in the third place playoff.

Squad: Andrew Amonde (Captain),William Ambaka,Eden Agero ,Patrice Agunda,Horace Otieno,Biko Adema,Lavin Asego, Felix Ayange, Michael Wanjala, Collins Injera,Oscar Ouma,Humphrey Kayange COACH: Mike Friday

2018

Innocent Simiyu, who was a member of the pioneering RWC semifinal class of 2009 was now at the helm of the team. He come off a season in which the side set some milestones, reaching two successive cup finals in Vancouver and Hong Kong while breaching the 100 points barrier as Shujaa claimed eighth place overall on the 2017/18 series log.

He named a squad that featured Collins Injera, a member of the 2009 and 2013 semifinalist squads as well as Andrew Amonde, Willy Ambaka and Eden Agero who were all part of the 2013 squad.

The tournament, played at the AT&T Park in San Francisco, USA adopted a new, knock out only format.

Shujaa started their campaign with a 19-7 victory over Tonga to advance to the round of sixteen where they lost 31-26 to Scotland to drop to the Challenge Trophy quarterfinals where a 24-14 loss to Ireland followed.

Further losses, (19-17 to Samoa) and 24-14 to Japan saw Innocent Simiyu’s charges finish sixteenth overall.

Squad: Oscar Ayodi (Captain), Collins Injera, Andrew Amonde , William Ambaka, Samuel Oliech, Nelson Oyoo, Dennis Ombachi, Jeff Oluoch , Brian Tanga , Eden Agero, Herman Humwa, Samuel Ng’ethe COACH: Innocent Simiyu

Additional reporting by KRU.