Playing for table placing, Kenyan went past Uruguay 19-15 to eventually set up a second clash with Samoa for the 9th and 10th place play-off.
The Olympic Games have provided a crucial stepping stone for Kenya Shujaa as they gear up for the upcoming World SVNS. Kenya Shujaa’s finished in ninth place finish at the Paris 2024 to set up the tempo for the rugby sevens team ahead of the series which begins in a few months.
“This is exactly what we needed before we started our preparations in the circuit.I am pretty happy with the boys they gave a good account of themselves, with ¾ of the team being first time Olympians and the kind of opposition we were playing against, we were close against Argentina, close against Australia, it shows the potential of this young team,” head coach Kevin Wambua told Michezo Afrika.
Shujaa’s Olympic Games campaign began with a 12-31defeat against series champions Argentina despite the fight. Against Australia, the team put up another spirited fight, however the inexperience of the team proved costly, they lost 7-21.
Kenya had no response against Samoa in the last pool match losing 26-0. The three defeats were too heavy on the team whose three quarters were Olympic debutants, with zero experience of playing at the highest level of world rugby sevens.
Playing for table placing, Kenyan went past Uruguay 19-15 to eventually set up a second clash with Samoa for the 9th and 10th place play-off. Kenya won 10-5 against Samoa.
“We had a dream like everybody else, to get out of the pools, something that has never happened for us. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, but we managed to secure 9th place. This is their moment. I’m happy with the team, and this is a motivation for the upcoming season,” Wambua added.
Co-captain Vincent Onyala echoed these sentiments, stating, “I would say it was baptism by fire, we had dared to dream and set out goals at that time, and the experience we have gotten will stir us to the next stage. The boys have earned their stripes, they have seen what it really means to play with big boys and now, we just need to go back and focus to see how the series will go. It is important to pick our learnings and hopefully be better. We can only get better,”
Nicknamed "Bling," Coach Wambua emphasized the need to work on the team’s endurance to last the entire 14 minutes of each match. Additionally, he stressed the importance of full support for the team to compete effectively in the world series.
“What we need to do now is to make sure we take care of the boys, getting everything sorted in the upcoming season in terms of contracts, making sure they are happy, they are comfortable so that when they start the season. Nothing will hold us back,” said Wambua, a sentiment shared by co-captain Vincent Onyala.
"A lot needs to be done in terms of our representation in the offices. They need to align their priorities and ensure that the team is properly taken care of. Often, the playing unit faces the majority of the demands, but there should be expectations from the administrative side as well. When all parties are in sync, there is great potential for success."
With intense preparation both on and off the field, the team had little time to decompress between the Olympic Games and the fight for promotion. Now, it's time for Shujaa to rest. The players deserve a break to recharge before hitting the sevens circuit again.