Shujaa Keep Promotion Dream Alive in Hong Kong but Land in Tough Group for Valladolid Leg

Kenya Sevens will still have to do it the hard way if they want to secure promotion back to the top flight after landing in another tough group for the HSBC World Championship second leg in Valladolid.

Shujaa managed an impressive seventh place finish in Hong Kong, keeping them inside the top eight that they need to be at the conclusion of the three legs to return to the World Series.

Kenya, who had lost 14-5 to Australia and 28-12 to New Zealand on Friday, bounced back to beat USA 17-10 on Saturday to book a place in the quarter-final on Sunday where they faced off with South Africa.

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It was a match Kenya were close to winning, having taken a 22-14 lead at the break, only for the Blitzboks to stage a late comeback and win the contest, condemning Shujaa to the seventh-place playoff.

It is here where Kenya beat France 21-7 to finish seventh with eight points which keeps their promotion dream alive.

However, the draw for the next round set to be played in Valladolid, Spain between May 29 and 31, was not kind to Kevin Wambua’s team as they have South Africa, who won the Hong Kong leg, Great Britain and Australia, who handed them their first defeat this weekend.

Kenya will need to correct their mistakes before heading to Spain where they have to maintain this level of performance since the top eight teams at the end of the third leg in Bordeaux (June 5-7) will play in the World Series in 2027.