Kenya 7s continued their impressive run in the Challenger Series in Dubai, securing a 29-7 victory over Uganda at the Sevens Stadium on Friday.
With this win, Kenya 7s not only maintained their perfect record but also secured a spot in the quarterfinals with a match to spare.
Kenya 7s run
In their opening match, Kenya had a commanding start, defeating Mexico 41-0, while Uganda faced a loss against Germany in their opener.
In the match against Uganda, Kenya 7s showcased their quick and well-coordinated plays. Nygel Amaitsa made a significant impact by scoring on the left side, securing his second try of the tournament despite pressure from his marker. The conversion was missed, resulting in a 5-0 lead for Kenya.
Uganda responded with an overload on the left, allowing Adrian Kasito to score and Aaron Ofoywroth’s successful conversion gave Uganda a 7-5 lead. However, Kenya regained the lead before halftime, with Patrick Odongo’s try, converted for a 12-7 advantage.
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The second half saw Amaitsa exploiting a gap, receiving a pass from Samuel Asati, and scoring a centre-post try. Although Amaitsa missed a potential hat trick as he was bundled out of play, Festus Shiasi, coming off the bench, scored for Kenya 7s after a TMO intervention.
Kevin Wekesa sealed the victory with a try in his favourite corner. Kenya 7s will face Germany in the Pool decider.
The HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024, taking place in three rounds on three continents between January and May, offers a clear promotion pathway to the HSBC Sevens pinnacle in 2025.
The top four men’s and women’s teams, based on cumulative series points after the third round, will earn the opportunity to compete in a high-stakes promotion and relegation play-off at the SVNS Grand Final in Madrid on May 31 – June 2, 2024, against the teams ranked ninth to 12th from HSBC SVNS 2024.
