Shujaa settle eighth at Dubai 7s
Shujaa's Alvin Otieno (centre) beats Germany's Robin Pluempe (left) during their Safari Sevens final match at Nyayo National Stadium on October 31, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Shujaa entered their eighth meeting with Ireland boasting of thumping them 22-0 to finish Tokyo Olympic Games in ninth place and 38-5 during the 2021 Series in Vancouver, Canada
- Things went from bad to worse after Shujaa conceded two more tries from Aaron O’Sullivan and Kennedy to go into halftime trailing 19-0 after Roche converted his second try
- Herman Humwa gave Shujaa some hope after reducing the gap with an under the posts try converted by Anthony Omondi in the 11th minute
Shujaa suffered its worst defeat at the hands of Ireland in rugby sevens after losing 29-7 to finish eighth at the opening leg of the 2021/22 World Sevens Series in Dubai on Saturday.
Shujaa entered their eighth meeting with Ireland boasting of thumping them 22-0 to finish Tokyo Olympic Games in ninth place and 38-5 during the 2021 Series in Vancouver, Canada.
Coach Innocent “Namcos” Simiyu’s men fell to an early try from Terry Kennedy converted by Mark Roche. Things went from bad to worse after Shujaa conceded two more tries from Aaron O’Sullivan and Kennedy to go into halftime trailing 19-0 after Roche converted his second try.
Herman Humwa gave Shujaa some hope after reducing the gap with an under the posts try converted by Anthony Omondi in the 11th minute. There was no bouncing back for Kenya after Alvin “Buffa” Otieno was sent to the sin-bin just before Ed Kelly scored Ireland’s fifth try at the death.
Shujaa ended the first of the two opening Dubai Sevens events in eighth place with 10 points, one behind Ireland who finished seventh.
On the way to the eighth place finish, Shujaa suffered defeats against USA 14-7 and Argentina 22-17 and beat Spain 26-12 at group stage, surrendered 19-5 against Fiji in Cup quarter-final and 33-5 at the hands of Great Britain in fifth place semi-final.
The next Dubai Sevens tournament takes place on December 3-4.
