Kenya 7s suffered a second consecutive defeat at the ongoing SVNS Championship in Valladolid after falling 14-0 to South Africa in their second pool match.
Shujaa headed into the clash hoping to bounce back after their heartbreaking 15-10 extra-time loss to Australia earlier in the tournament. South Africa, on the other hand, were chasing back-to-back wins following their 17-12 victory over Great Britain.
The encounter marked the second meeting between the two sides this season, with the Blitzboks having also edged Kenya during the Hong Kong 7s earlier this year.
Both teams started cautiously, using tactical kicks to gain territorial advantage in the opening exchanges.
South Africa eventually broke the deadlock after Shilton van Wyk read Kenya’s attack perfectly before intercepting a pass and racing away for the opening try. The conversion was successful as the Blitzboks took a 7-0 lead.
The score remained unchanged heading into the halftime break as Kenya struggled to break down the South African defence.
In the second half, Shujaa’s hopes suffered a major blow after Denis Abukuse was shown a yellow card. South Africa quickly capitalized on the numerical advantage, executing a well-worked cross-kick that set up Sebastiaan Jobb for the second try of the match.
The conversion stretched South Africa’s lead to 14-0, denying Kenya a losing bonus point in the process.
Shujaa will return to action on Saturday against Great Britain as they continue their push for a place in the quarterfinals, potentially as one of the best third-placed teams.
