Shujaa survive despite disastrous IRB season

Kenya's Jeff Oluoch (right) is tackled by USA's Martin Iosefo during the HSBC Paris Sevens Series rugby quarterfinals match at the Stade Jean Bouin in Paris yesterday. [AFP]

Having put up a below-par performance for the better part of the season, Kenya’s national Sevens team rose to the occasion when relegation loomed large at the final leg of the World Sevens Series in Paris over the weekend.

Perhaps spurred by the prospect of losing their core status, Shujaa, who had not progressed to the Cup quarter-finals this season, broke that hoodoo by advancing to the last eight from a tough-looking pool B which had London Sevens silver medalists Australia, Singapore Sevens champions South Africa and Wales.