Shujaa fail to progress to cup quarter-finals in Singapore Sevens

New Zealand's Dylan Collier (C) competes against Kenya players during the fifth place cup semi-final of the HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens tournament in Singapore on April 29, 2018. / AFP 

Kenya failed to progress to the cup quarter-finals in the World Sevens Series despite beating Wales 19-14 in their final Pool C match of the Singapore Sevens yesterday.

The team was relegated to the Challenge Trophy quarter-finals after finishing last in the pool with five points. They were due to face France at 6:06am today.

This was the eighth consecutive outing that Kenya failed to progress to the cup quarter-finals in the World Sevens Series.

Against the Welsh, Kenya took a third minute lead with Vincent Onyala grounding the ball and Daniel Taabu converted.

Ryan Conbeer restored parity with a converted try before Shujaa retook the lead through Oscar Dennis’ first try in national colours.

A second half five-pointer by Taabu put Kenya firmly in control while Tom Rodgers handed Wales their second converted try.

Earlier, Paul Murunga’s charges had gone down 36-7 to England in their opener before blowing a 7-0 lead to lose 17-14 to series leaders USA.

Against USA, Kenya got onto the score sheet through two converted tries while the Americans managed three tries and one conversion.

Shujaa drew the first blood with Taabu crossing the whitewash in the fourth minute. The Mwamba half-back would add the extras to hand the Kenyans a 7-0 cushion.

USA found a response almost instantly as speedster Carlin Isles dotted down before Madison Hughes restored parity by adding the conversion.

Isles would land his brace on the stroke of half-time, scoring an unconverted try which saw the Mike Friday-coached side take a 12-7 lead at the interval.

The early exchanges of the second half were cagey with neither of the sides finding a way to the opposition try box.

USA’s dominance in possession paid off with Hughes going over for a five-pointer in the 10th minute. Johnstone Olindi would bring Shujaa to within touching distance as he converted Taabu’s try.