Shujaa and Lionesses eye crucial playoff push in Sao Paulo

 

Shujaa forward Kevin Wekesa in action against Uruguay at Montevideo 7s. [Courtesy, World Rugby]

Shujaa and Kenya Lionesses will on Saturday face a defining weekend as the HSBC SVNS 2 series heads to its final leg in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with both sides chasing playoff places.

Shujaa arrived with momentum after a strong third-place finish in Montevideo, which lifted them to third overall with 32 points.

The Kevin Wambua-coached side is now within touching distance of qualification, but they must deliver another solid performance to seal their place.

Their campaign begins on Saturday against Germany at 4:22 PM EAT, before taking on Belgium at 7:12 PM EAT and Canada at 10:21 PM EAT. On Sunday, Shujaa return to action against the USA at 5:44 PM EAT before facing Uruguay at 8:34 PM EAT in what could be a decisive clash.

With Uruguay close behind in the standings, that final match may determine whether Shujaa secure a top-four finish. The team will be banking on discipline and clinical finishing to get the job done.

For the Lionesses, the situation is more urgent. After a difficult run that has left them at the bottom of the table with 22 points, the Simon Odongo-coached side must produce their best performance of the series to stay in the race.

They open their campaign against Argentina on Saturday at 5:28 PM EAT, followed by matches against South Africa at 8:18 PM EAT and Spain at 11:05 PM EAT. On Sunday, they face China at 6:06 PM EAT before wrapping up against hosts Brazil at 10:02 PM EAT.

The Lionesses need a top-three finish in São Paulo to keep their hopes of promotion alive. Anything less will end their push for a place in the top tier in 2027.

After struggling in both Nairobi and Montevideo, the team must show improvement in both attack and defence. Strong starts and better control of matches will be key if they are to turn their campaign around.