Shujaa drop to Challenge Trophy at Sydney 7s
Alvin Otieno of Kenya (left) complains that Akuila Rokolisoa of New Zealand grabbed him around the throat on day two of the World Rugby Sevens series at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on January 28, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Shujaa saved themselves some blushes when they rallied from 0-14 down to beat Uruguay 24-19 in their last pool outing
- On Friday, they lost to continental rivals South Africa 31-5 in their opener before crushing to the All Blacks 33-0 on Saturday
- Shujaa will play Spain in the Challenge Trophy quarter-final, which is also known as the ninth place quarter-final at 2.16am on Sunday
Kenya Sevens, for the umpteenth time, dropped to Challenge Trophy after they finished third in Pool “B” of the ongoing Sydney Sevens at the Allianz Stadium, Australia on Saturday.
However, Shujaa saved themselves some blushes when they rallied from 0-14 down to beat Uruguay 24-19 in their last pool outing after losing to 2022/23 World Rugby Sevens Series leaders New Zealand and South Africa.
On Friday, they lost to continental rivals South Africa 31-5 in their opener before crushing to the All Blacks 33-0 on Saturday.
Shujaa were caught napping by Diego Ardao and Mateo Vinals, who landed before Guillermo Lijtenstein converted as Uruguay took the lead 14-0.
Skipper Nelson Oyoo scored on the stroke of half-time after finishing off a flawless exchange from Shujaa but the conversion went wide. Shujaa trailed 14-5 at the break.
Alvin “Buffa” Otieno went over after the restart before Oyoo completed his double as Tony Omondi added the extras for Shujaa to take the lead 17-14.
Omondi would then convert his own try to stretch the lead to 24-14 and not even Ardao's late try could tilt the proceedings for Uruguay.
Shujaa will play Spain in the Challenge Trophy quarter-final, which is also known as the ninth place quarter-final at 2.16am on Sunday.
South Africa, the Dubai Sevens champions, kept a clean sheet in the pool, beating All Blacks, Cape Town and Hamilton Sevens losing Cup finalists, 17-14 to top the pool after they had previously dismantled Uruguay 28-12.
South Africa went on to stop Ireland 26-12 while New Zealand humbled Samoa 12-0 to all advance to the Cup semi-finals due for Sunday.
The All Blacks will face France at 8.06am with the Blitzbokke taking on double Olympic champions Fiji, the Hong Kong Sevens losing finalists, at 8.28am.
Fiji stopped Great Britain 26-14 while France bundled out hosts Australia 17-14 in the quarter-finals.
