Shujaa will feature at the Dubai Invitational Sevens later this month as they intensify preparations for the HSBC Sevens 2 Championship, which gets underway in January.
The invitational tournament, scheduled for November 27-29 in the Middle East, will attract several top invitational sides, including Shogun Rugby, UAE Shaheen, Butchers RFC and Froggies Club.
Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) Director of Sevens Humphrey Kayange described the tournament as an important part of Shujaa’s preparations ahead of the HSBC Sevens 2 Championship, which will kick off at Talanta Stadium on January 23-24.
“The Dubai tournament will be an eye-opener for the team as we look to make a strong start on home soil. It will bring together some of the best invitational teams from across the world and I believe our boys will be tested accordingly,” said Kayange.
Shujaa last played at the Safari Sevens in October, where they defeated Morans 24-7 in the final. Kayange emphasised the importance of early preparations, noting that the Dubai tournament will provide an opportunity to assess the team’s match fitness, combinations and depth.
“I believe we need to get up to speed in terms of match fitness, so Dubai will be an eye-opener for the team. It will help us assess our strengths and weaknesses, identify combinations we can use going forward and evaluate our squad depth,” he added.
The 33-man squad resumed training last week at the RFUEA Grounds under head coach Kevin Wambua and his technical bench. The coaching staff is expected to name the final 24-man squad for the 2026-2027 season by the end of the week.
After Talanta, the HSBC Sevens 2 Championship will move to Montevideo, Uruguay, on February 20-21, with the final leg set for Sao Paulo, Brazil, a week later.
The top four teams will then qualify for the World Championship rounds, which will feature stops in Hong Kong on April 9-11, Valladolid on May 21-22 and Bordeaux on May 28-30.
At the conclusion of the Bordeaux leg, the top eight teams will qualify for the Division One Championship, which is expected to begin in Dubai in November 2027.
