Battered Kenya Shujaa drop to Challenge Trophy in London 7s

Johnstone Olindi

Kenya's Johnstone Olindi (right) unsuccessfully chases Jordon Conroy as the Irishman bursts through the Kenya defence at the London Sevens on May 28, 2022.

Photo credit: Pool |

What you need to know:

  • The East Africans started the first day with a last-gasp 17-14 loss against Ireland who scored the winning try through Terry Kennedy.

Kenya Shujaa dropped to Challenge Trophy at the London Sevens after losing all their Pool “B” matches against South Africa, Argentina and Ireland at the Twickenham Stadium on Saturday.

The East Africans started the first day with a last-gasp 17-14 loss against Ireland who scored the winning try through Terry Kennedy.

Kenya were leading 14-12 with seconds left on the clock after Anthony Omondi converted tries from second half substitutes Edmund Anya and Arcadius Khwesa.

However, Shujaa could not withstand pressure from the Irish after restart as Kennedy added the winner. The Irish scored their first tries through Aaron O’Sullivan and Jordan Conroy, one which Mark Roche converted.

Coach Damian McGrath’s charges lacked answers in the second match where the Argentines scored tries through Joaquin de la Vega, German Schulz, Luciano Gonzalez and Matias Osadczuk, with Tobias Wade converting three of those tries.

Kenya trailed 7-0 at the break from a Vega converted try, having been saved by Anthony Omondi from falling further after he defended superbly just inside the try box by knocking the ball off an Argentine player.

However, things went from bad to worse for Kenya straight from second-half kick-off after being reduced to six-men when Timothy Mmasi was sin-binned for dangerous play.

From that point there was coming back from the East Africans.

Kenya put up a spirited fight in their last match against Dubai I, Dubai II, Malaga and Seville champions South Africa.

Shujaa trailed 19-0 from tries scored by Impi Visser, Dewald Human and Muller du Plessis, two which were converted by Ronald Brown. One try on either side of the half from Kenya captain Nelson Oyoo converted by Omondi brought the scores to within five points reach before Siviwe fended off two defenders to give the South Africans more breathing space at 24-14.

Ben Salem Adoyo scored Kenya’s last try but it was too late to complete a comeback.

Kenya will now face off with France in the ninth place quarter-final at 11.52am on Sunday.

Kenya are on 38 points from the first sevens rounds, including picking just one each from the last two events in Vancouver and Toulouse. They are seven points outside the relegation zone.