Poor outing for Shujaa as they lose all group matches

RUGBY 7s Coach Paul Murunga of Rugby 7s during training at RFUA grounds on Monday Oct 22, 2018. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

National Sevens team, Shujaa was yesterday relegated to the Challenge Trophy after registering three losses in pool B at the opening round of the 2018-19 HSBC World Sevens Series in Dubai.

Shujaa , who lost 43-12 to Fiji in their final match of the preliminaries last evening faced Scotland in the first match, going down 35-14.

Scotland got themselves on the scoresheet through four tries, three conversions and a penalty try as the Kenyans managed two consolation tries courtesy of debutant Johnstone Olindi and Dennis Ombachi.

After a cagey opening four minutes, the match sprung to life when Max McFarland went over the whitewash before converting his own try to hand the Scots a 7-0 lead.

Scotland’s dominance in possession paid off as they stretched their lead through Robbie Fergusson who drifted away from his markers before dotting down a try which was converted.

Kenya were struggling to make forays in the Scottish territory and on the stroke off half-time, Scotland won a penalty before electing to kick the ball into touch.

From the resultant line-out, McFarland set up Glenn Bryce who fended off Eden Agero’s challenge before scoring a converted try between the sticks to give Scotland a 21-0 advantage at the break.

On resumption, the referee awarded Scotland a penalty try following Jeffrey Oluoch’s high tackle on McFarland who had broken free down the left flank.

Kenya started playing with more intent as Alvin Otieno offloaded the ball to his Homeboyz teammate Olindi, allowing the fly-half to score an easy try which he converted to take the scores to 28-7 in favour of Scotland.

Fergusson would then compound Kenya’s miseries as he sealed his brace with Scotland’s fifth try before patient build up by Kenya set up Ombachi who scored his side’s second try after the hooter had gone.

Paul Murunga’s charges faced France in their second match where they let slip a 17-14 lead to lose 21-17.

France stamped their authority in the first half as they scored two converted tries to take a 14-0 lead at the interval.

Ombachi then responded for Kenya by scoring a brace before Olindi completed the comeback with a try of his own.

Shujaa could however, not protect the lead, allowing France to win with a late converted try.

Meanwhile, after a winless start to the Dubai Women’s Sevens Series on Thursday, the national women’s Sevens team continued with their poor run of form as they slumped to a fourth successive defeat. 

The Lionesses were yesterday handed a 24-7 defeat by Spain in the Challenge Trophy semi-finals with Janet Okello scoring the solitary try.