Kenya Sevens fail to have safe landing spot in Perth leg

Kenya Sevens winger Patrick Odongo dives to score a try at Perth Sevens. [Courtesy, World Rugby]

Kenya Sevens, popularly known as Shujaa, showcased glimpses of improvement, but ultimately fell short at the Perth Sevens, finishing 10th and remaining in the relegation zone of the HSBC SVNS Series.

Despite moments of brilliance, the team's inconsistency across the two-day tournament hindered their efforts to climb the standings.

Heading to Perth after a promising show in the Cape Town Sevens in December last year, Shujaa's goal was clear: to improve their previous performance and move closer to safety. However, a slow start on Day One left them nursing early setbacks.

Shujaa opened their campaign with a tough 29-14 loss to New Zealand, the All Blacks' clinical precision exposing Kenya's defensive lapses.

In their second match, Shujaa raced to a 14-0 lead against Fiji, but the former Olympic champions mounted a spirited comeback, capitalising on Kenya's errors to win 21-14, effectively knocking the East Africans out of Main Cup quarterfinal contention.

On Day Two, Shujaa displayed resilience, opening with a dominant 19-5 victory over Uruguay in their final pool match. The win earned them a spot in the ninth-place semifinal against the USA.

Kenya continued their resurgence, defeating the Americans 26-21 in a pulsating encounter, fueled by standout performances from speedster Patrick Odongo, who averaged a try per game throughout the tournament. The ninth-place final offered Shujaa a chance at redemption against New Zealand, but the All Blacks once again proved too strong. Despite a spirited display, Kenya fell 19-12, settling for 10th place.

The result added just three points to their tally, leaving them with 14 points in the series standings, six points adrift of safety.

With only three rounds remaining in the six-event HSBC SVNS Series, Shujaa face an uphill battle to avoid relegation.

The top eight teams after the series will qualify for the prestigious World Championship in Los Angeles, while teams ranked ninth to 12th will join the top four from the World Rugby Sevens Challenger in a high-stakes promotion and relegation playoff.

Shujaa's path to safety is narrow, but their improved performances in Perth offer some hope.

Odongo was a standout performer for Shujaa, his electrifying pace and clinical finishing earning him a try in each of Kenya's five matches. These positives will be critical as they prepare for the fourth round in Vancouver.