Kenyan rugby is now in turmoil after yet another humiliating outing at the HSBC World Sevens series. Shujaa only managed away with a point hence dropping to 14th.
Perhaps, the controversy that had arose before the London leg played part in the disappointing results the boys brought home. Prior to the London 7s, senior players who chose not to be part of the team this season exposed the rot in the Kenya Rugby Union. According to these players, the politics at the union was the reason the team had not been performing well this season.
Going into the Paris 7s slated for 3rd to 14th of July 2019, Shujaa are in huge risk of being relegated than they ever were this season. The Kenyan 7s team is only two point clear of the relegation zone with 27 points. Japan is last with 25 points.
The London 7s was Shujaa’s chance to salvage their fortunes and move further from the relegation zone but they only managed one narrow win against Samoa, Shujaa won the match 21-20. The remaining fixtures were an uphill battle for the Kenya 7s national team as they were facing Fiji and France. They lost 24-17 to the former and 31-17 against the latter.
After dropping to the Challenge cup, the team lost its first match in the quarter finals of the cup against Scotland 29-21. Dropping out of the Challenge cup, Shujaa were poised to play last placed Japan in the 13th place play off, a match they also lost 36-17. The team only managed out of the London leg with a point to their name.
Fellow Kenya’s group B team Fiji was the biggest victors at the London 7s having taken home the main cup. Fiji were successful after a commanding 43-7 hammering of Australia in the final. It is the second time in a row that Fiji has won the London 7s Main Cup.
Before the London leg, Shujaa were 4 points clear of the relegation zone but the gap has since reduced to two after a not so good performance in London over the weekend. The Paris 7s which is the last leg of the competition is the Shujaa’s only hope of avoiding the relegation zone they are currently staring at. Kenya now must finish ahead of Japan at the Paris leg to avoid relegation.
The only good news for Kenya is that South Africa have secured an automatic place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after they collected 10 points from London to cement their fourth position in the series with 131 points.
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The four top placed teams after the end of the series will qualify directly for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with the rest going through their respective continental qualifiers. Kenya can qualify for the Olympics if South Africa manages to finish 4th as Kenya is the only other African side in the competition apart from the Springboks.
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