The year 2023 proved to be a painful one for Kenya 7s fans as they witnessed their team being relegated from the World 7s series.
Here are the hits and the misses of Shujaa in 2023.
Hits
Kenya 7s crowned African Champs
Kenya 7s clinched victory in the tournament by narrowly defeating rivals South Africa 17-12, with Patrick Odongo scoring a brace and John Okoth crossing over once for a hard-fought win.
In 2022, Kenya had surrendered the Cup after being eliminated in the semis by eventual winners Uganda. However, in their triumphant 2023 campaign, they showcased dominance by defeating Zambia 38-12 in the opening game, achieving a resounding 51-0 victory over Namibia, and securing a 34-10 win against Nigeria in the final group game. In the Cup quarters, they overcame Burkina Faso with a convincing 26-0 scoreline.
Dennis Abukuse receives Kenya 7s jersey. PHOTO/Denis Abukuse
Advancing to the semis, Kenya outsmarted hosts Zimbabwe with a 35-10 victory, ultimately claiming the championship title.
This success followed significant changes in the team structure, with a new technical bench led by Kevin Wambua. The revamped coaching staff, including Louis Kisia, Steve Sewe, Lameck Bogonko, Andrew Amonde, Chris Brown, and Eric Ogweno, replaced the previous bench led by Damian McGrath.
This overhaul proved instrumental, as the team, reinvigorated and under new leadership, achieved a remarkable victory against favorites South Africa.
Kenya 7s retain Olympic slot
With the triumph in Zimbabwe, Shujaa managed to book their slot in Paris 2024 courtesy of being African Champions.
This will be the third time in a row that Shujaa are making an appearance in the global showpiece after having played in Rio de Janeiro 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Kenya 7s retain Safari 7s
Kenya7s carried the form to the 2023 and managed to tame rivals Samurai in the 2023 Safari 7s by winning the final 19-0.
It was again the magic of Patrick Odongo that inspired Shujaa. The Daystar University student scored two tries for Shujaa with Kevin Wekesa getting a try for a 19-0 win.
Kenya 7s (Shujaa) winger Patrick Odongo receives medal. Photo/Screengrab
Kenya had defeated Germany 19-5 in the semis to secure their place in the final.
In the group stages, Kenya won against Red Wailers 34-7, Tropic 7s 33-5, SA All Stars 36-0 and Uganda 17-5.
Kevin Wambua’s unbeaten run
Bling’s charges haven’t tasted defeat in the two tournaments they have played.
They were ruthless in their run to being crowned Africa 7s Champions winning with convincing margins.
They also successfully defended their Safari 7s title after going all through unscathed.
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Wambua’s games in charge
Kenya7s 38-12 Zambia
Kenya 7s 51-0 Namibia
Kenya 7s 34-10 Nigeria
Kenya 7s 26-0 Burkina Faso
Kenya 7s 35-10 Zimbabwe
Kenya 7s 17-12 South Africa
Kenya 7s 34-7 Red Wailers
Kenya 7s 33-5 Tropic 7s
Kenya 7s 36-0 SA All Stars
Kenya 7s 17-5 Uganda
Kenya 19-5 Germany
Kenya 19-0 Samurai
Kenya 7s emerging talents
Shujaa’s final two tournaments witnessed the emergence of new talents.
In addition to Odongo, who excelled as the top scorer in the Africa Men’s 7s alongside John Okoth, promising players such as Nygel Amaitsa, Festus Shiasi, William Mwanji, and Samuel Asati showcased their potential.
These rising stars are seen as capable of filling the voids left by retired Kenyan legends like Willy Ambaka, Billy Odhiambo, Collins Injera, and others.
Kenya 7s Patrick Odongo receives award. Photo/SJAK
The Safari 7s highlighted the finishing prowess of Brian Mutugi who was sparing utilized in the matches.
These players now have the opportunity to display their talents on the international stage as Shujaa endeavors to secure a slot back in the World 7s Series.
Kenya 7s relegation
Kenya 7s faced a heartbreaking moment as they were relegated from the core teams in the World 7s Series. Following a disappointing campaign in the 2022/2023 season, Kenya found themselves in the relegation playoffs alongside Canada, Uruguay, and Tonga.
The matches were played in a round-robin format, and the top two ranked sides faced each other in the finals, with the winner securing their core status.
In the finals, Kenya 7s competed against Canada, who claimed a narrow 12-7 victory.
Under McGrath’s leadership, Shujaa began the year by earning seven points in Hamilton 7s, finishing in 10th place. In Sydney, they secured only five points, marking Ambaka’s final tournament in a Kenyan shirt.
Kenya 7s (Shujaa) players hurdle in a past match. Photo/Screen grab
Shujaa managed just a point in Los Angeles, seven points in Vancouver, and a similar outcome in Hong Kong II, along with seven points in Singapore. Throughout the campaign, Shujaa failed to advance to the quarterfinals.
The season concluded with three points in Toulouse, bringing Kenya’s total to 40 points. Consequently, they proceeded to the relegation playoffs and were relegated in the playoffs.
To regain their position, Shujaa must compete in the challenger series and achieve a top-four finish.
The top four teams in the challenger series will then face off against the bottom four teams in the 7s series, with the top four from the grand final play-off securing their core status in the 2024/2025 season.
