Shujaa target fast start at Hong Kong Sevens in hunt for core status

Shujaa forwad Kevin Wekesa in action against Uruguay during the Sao Paulo sevens tournament in Brazil last month/HANDOUT

National Sevens side, Shujaa, will aim for a flying start at the Hong Kong Sevens in their hunt for a return to the World Sevens Series topflight nest season.

Kevin Wambua's charges finished second in the HSBC Division Two series with 52 points across the three legs — Nairobi, Montevideo and Sao Paulo.

Wambua believes they have to adapt to playing against the powerhouses.

"We are here on merit, but the hard work starts now. We arrived early this week, have trained well and are ready for battle” noted Wambua.

Shujaa open their campaign against Australia at 12:56 pm on Friday.

The two sides have met nine times in recent seasons, with Australia owning the head-to-head advantage with six wins to Kenya's three.

They last met at the Cape Town Sevens in December 2024 with Shujaa winning 19-12.

The Aussies have not changed their lineup that much since but still, Wambua expects a competitive opening showdown.

“They are very quick, physical and excellent at the breakdown. We have analysed their every facet of play and hope that we can exploit their weaknesses,” added Wambua.

"We are taking it one match at a time. The overall target for this leg is to be finish in the top eight, which I believe we can."

Shujaa will then face New Zealand at 3:47 pm in their second preliminary match.

The Kiwis own the head-to-head record, 10-0, with the former champions comfortably winning the last five encounters.

Wambua said they will need to perform from the first minute to the last.

“They (New Zealand) are a quality side, very physically strong in the set piece and have a lot of experience,” noted Wambua.

Shujaa's final pool match will be against the United States at 8:24 am on Saturday.

This will be the third meeting between the two sides, with the USA winning 21-15 in Nairobi in February and 14-10 in Montevideo with Shujaa exerting revenge in Sao Paulo, winning 31-14.

Wambua's key men will be his two co-captains George Ooro and Samuel Asati alongside the likes of Kevin Wekesa and Patrick Odongo.

After Hong Kong, the series will head to Valladolid, Spain, between May 29 and 31, with the final leg in Bordeaux, France, set for June 5-7.

The top eight teams at the conclusion of the series will be the pick for the Division One championship for the 2026-2027 season.