Perth 7s: Flying Shujaa eye revenge against New Zealand in ninth place final
Rugby
By
Washington Onyango
| Jan 26, 2025
Kenya Sevens are gearing up for revenge against New Zealand in the ninth-place playoff rematch at the Perth Sevens on Sunday.
The rematch comes after Shujaa posted an improved performance on Saturday with wins over Uruguay and the USA.
The 9.14am EAT clash offers Shujaa an opportunity to avenge their 29-14 group-stage loss to the All Blacks and end their campaign on a high note.
After a disappointing start to the third leg of the World Sevens Series on Friday, where they fell to New Zealand (29-14) and Fiji (21-14), Shujaa displayed resilience yesterday.
They opened the day with a commanding 19-5 win over Uruguay before edging out the USA in a thrilling 26-21 encounter to book their spot in the ninth-place playoff.
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Against Uruguay, Kenya came out strong in their final Group C match. Kevin Wekesa set the tone with an early try in the second minute, converted by Anthony Omondi. Nygel Amaitsa quickly followed suit, stretching the lead to 14-0 after another successful conversion by Omondi.
Speedster Patrick Odongo added a third try just before halftime, giving Shujaa a commanding 19-0 lead. While Uruguay managed a late consolation try through Tomas Etcheverry, the game belonged to Kenya.
The victory over Uruguay set up a ninth-place semi-final clash with the USA. Shujaa had to dig deep after conceding an early try to Adam Channel, with Marcus Tupuola converting to give the Americans a 7-0 lead. Patrick Odongo responded swiftly, leveling the scores with a try converted by Anthony Mboya.
George Ooro Angeyo then took centre stage, scoring twice to give Kenya a 19-7 advantage. Although the USA narrowed the gap with Channel's second try, Floyd Wabwire's decisive effort and Nygel Amaitsa's conversion stretched Kenya's lead to 26-14.
Despite a late try by Faitala Talapusi, Shujaa held on for a morale-boosting victory.
Reflecting on their journey in Perth, Shujaa coach Kelvin Wambua expressed optimism about the team's development.
"The boys showed character, especially after a tough start to the tournament. Our focus now is on maintaining this momentum and giving our best against New Zealand," Wambua said.
Sunday's fixture marks the first meet up between Kenya and New Zealand in the World Sevens Series since May 2023. Kenya will be looking to break a 13-match winless streak against the All Blacks, their last victory dating back to April 8, 2018, in the Hong Kong Sevens semi-final.
In that historic match, Collins Injera scored twice to propel Kenya to a 21-12 win, en route to their maiden Cup final appearance.
Today's game presents an opportunity for Shujaa to rewrite the script and finish the Perth Sevens on a high. With Patrick Odongo, George Ooro, and other rising stars stepping up, fans will be hoping for a spirited performance to end their five-year drought against the All Blacks.