Catholic University Monks win the lineout against the Mean Machine in a past match/HANDOUT The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) has overhauled the Division Two format of the National Sevens Circuit in a move aimed at making the competition more streamlined and competitive.
The biggest change is the reduction of Division Two teams from 20 to 16. The competition will now mirror the Division One format, with four pools of four teams replacing the previous five-pool system.
After the pool stage, teams will progress to the Cup quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, creating a uniform structure across both divisions.
The 16-team lineup will comprise the four teams relegated from Division One in the previous leg, the top four Division Two finishers from the previous leg—excluding the promoted side—and nine additional teams.
Priority for the remaining slots will be given to regional teams from the host region of each tournament. The Division Two composition will therefore vary from one circuit leg to another depending on promotion, relegation and the host region.
The women’s competition has also been restructured. All eight teams will now compete in a single division and will be split into two pools of four during the preliminary stage. Following the pool matches, all eight teams will advance to the quarter-finals.
The four quarter-final winners will qualify for the semi-finals before battling for places in the final. The four losing quarter-finalists will contest fifth-place semi-finals, with the winners meeting in the fifth-place playoff.
The two teams that lose the fifth-place semi-finals will be ranked seventh and eighth based on accumulated points. Promotion and relegation remain central to the circuit.
The top-performing Division Two team at each leg will earn promotion to Division One for the following tournament, while the lowest-ranked Division One side will be relegated, ensuring every match carries significance throughout the season.
