Kenya’s Sevens rugby team did the unthinkable on Saturday night during the IRB Sevens Las Vegas leg.
Against all odds and expectations, Shujaa were the true ambassadors of Kenya.
Pitted against a well-oiled New Zealand side, few gave the Kenyans any chance of topping the group that also had Russia and Portugal.
But after 14 minutes of high-octane rugby, it is the Kenyans, who were having the last laugh. They had just done the unthinable; humbled hitherto rugby greats, All Blacks 22-0.
This was Kenya’s first win over the fancied All Blacks for in three years.
But as the Kenyans were savouring their hard-earned victory, hosts USA brought them back to earth with a 26-14 victory, which consequently eliminated Shujaa from Main Cup competition.
Shujaa were due to play Japan in the Plate semis last night after the latter lost 43-7 to Fiji in the Main Cup quarters.
It was indeed a sweet revenge for Mike Friday’s US against Kenya following their 26-10 defeat to his former employers at the same stage in the Cape Town Sevens last year.
In the Kenya versus New Zealand match, it was a good result for Shujaa, who suffered a 36-0 humiliation in the hands of the All Blacks in last month’s Sydney Sevens Main Cup quarter-final.
Oscar Ayodi and Oscar Ouma scored a try each with Biko missing one conversion as Kenya led 14-0 at halftime.
Substitute Willy Ambaka extended the lead with a converted try before Adema kicked over a penalty after Gillies Kaka was sent to the sin-bin for a dangerous tackle.
New Zealand coach Sir Gordon Tietjens, whose side was due to face Argentina in the Plate semis last night, termed the All Black’s loss to Kenya as their “worst game” all season.
“When you are falling off the tackles, a lot of other parts of your game collapse also,” said Tietjens.
“The performance against “a very good” South Africa side was an improvement.
“I think the learning from that is that we treat every game as a final. We must improve”
