For Kenya Sevens, the 2026 HSBC SVNS campaign was a year of fight, frustration and genuine progress. Shujaa set out with one goal, a return to the top tier of the World Series. They came within touching distance before falling short at the final hurdle.
A home start in Nairobi
The season opened with a historic moment: Nairobi hosting an SVNS Division Two leg at Nyayo Stadium for the first time. Kenyan rugby fans turned out in numbers, and Shujaa gave them plenty to cheer, winning their first four matches against Belgium, Uruguay, Germany and Canada.
Needing just a point from their final game to win the leg, they were beaten 21-5 by the USA and finished third on 12 points, level with the Americans but behind on points difference. Germany took the title. Co-captain George Ooro was named player of the tournament, a fitting reward for a superb weekend.
Consistency across three continents
From Nairobi, the team travelled to Montevideo and then Sao Paulo for the remaining SVNS 2 legs. Shujaa were competitive throughout, and by the end of the circuit they had collected 50 points, enough for second place overall and a ticket to the SVNS Championship alongside the world’s elite.
Season at a glance
- SVNS 2 legs: Nairobi, Montevideo, Sao Paulo
- Final SVNS 2 standing: 2nd, 50 points
- Nairobi leg: 3rd, George Ooro player of the tournament
- Championship stage: Hong Kong quarter-final against South Africa
- Outcome: promotion to the World Series missed
The Championship test
The SVNS Championship began at the Hong Kong Sevens from 17 to 19 April, where Shujaa battled through a tough pool to reach a quarter-final against South Africa. The campaign continued all the way to Bordeaux, but the results needed for promotion did not come, and the dream of a World Series return has to wait another year.
What Shujaa must build on
There is plenty to take forward. The leadership of co-captains Ooro and Samuel Asati has given the squad a clear identity, and the home leg proved the appetite for top-level sevens in Kenya is as strong as ever. The challenge now is turning competitive performances against the best into wins in the moments that matter, especially closing out tight games in the final minutes.
With the 2027 calendar ahead, the target is unchanged. Kenya’s place is among rugby’s elite sevens nations, and this squad has shown it is not far away.
