Shujaa endure winless Vancouver 7s as Ireland deliver final blow

Kenya 7s in action at Vancouver 7s

By Erick Kariuki
Monday, February 24, 2025

Kenya’s rugby sevens team, Shujaa, endured a winless run at the Vancouver 7s, finishing at the bottom after a narrow 19-14 loss to Ireland in the 11th-place playoff. Despite a promising start, defensive lapses cost them in the final moments, sealing their worst finish since rejoining the global circuit. As focus shifts to the Hong Kong 7s, Shujaa must regroup to avoid another disappointing outing.

Kenya’s sevens side, Shujaa, endured a winless streak at the Vancouver 7s, finishing bottom after a late defensive lapse handed Ireland a 19-14 victory in the 11th-place playoff at BC Place, Canada.

Head coach Kevin Wambua’s team recorded its worst finish since returning to the global series. Their campaign began with a heavy 28-0 defeat to eventual champions Argentina, followed by a 33-7 loss to France. A 26-10 defeat against Great Britain left them at the bottom of Pool C.

More To Read

Determined to salvage pride in their final match, Shujaa started brightly against Ireland, with Vincent Onyala crossing the try line in the opening minute. Anthony Mboya Omondi added the conversion to give Kenya a 7-0 lead. However, Ireland responded swiftly, with Dylan O’Grady’s try and Mark Roche’s conversion leveling the score at 7-7 after four minutes.

O’Grady struck again before halftime, pushing Ireland ahead 14-7. A yellow card for Ireland momentarily tilted the balance in Shujaa’s favour, and captain Sanuke Asati capitalized with a try, which Omondi converted to restore parity at 14-14.

However, a costly defensive lapse in the dying minutes allowed Bryan Mollen to score a decisive try, sealing Ireland’s 19-14 victory and leaving Kenya without a single win in Vancouver.

Shifting focus to Hong Kong

Shujaa now turn their attention to the fifth round of the HSBC SVNS series, set for 28-30 March in Hong Kong. The post-tournament draw placed Kenya in Pool C alongside Spain, France, and Great Britain.

The HSBC SVNS 2025 will feature seven events across seven months in renowned locations worldwide, including Dubai, Cape Town, Perth, Vancouver, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The top eight men’s and women’s teams will then compete in the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles at Dignity Health Sports Park, which will also host rugby sevens at the LA 2028 Olympics.

Argentina and New Zealand dominate Vancouver 7s

The tenth anniversary of HSBC SVNS Vancouver ended in celebration for Argentina’s men’s team (Los Pumas) and New Zealand’s women’s team (Black Ferns), as both secured their third consecutive title in Canada.

In the men’s category, Argentina narrowly defeated Spain in the semi-finals, with Marcos Moneta scoring the match-winning try in the ninth minute. South Africa edged out Fiji in a dramatic last-minute win to set up the final against Argentina. The final saw Luciano Gonzalez bag a brace, and Tobias Wade added a third try as Argentina fended off a South African fightback to win their second consecutive gold in Vancouver.

Winning captain Santiago Mare expressed his pride, saying, "We are very happy and really proud of the team for all the effort they put in. To be in another final and win against a great rival like South Africa means a lot to us."

In the women’s category, the Black Ferns Sevens dominated, first thrashing Australia with six tries, including a hat trick from Stacey Waaka, before facing Fiji in the final. Fiji, playing in their first-ever SVNS Cup final, were overmatched by New Zealand’s experience. Risi Pouri-Lane opened the scoring in the first minute, and the Black Ferns led 22-0 by halftime. Despite a late consolation try from Sesenieli Donu, New Zealand cruised to a 41-7 victory, clinching their 39th title.

New Zealand captain Sarah Hirini praised her team’s performance, stating, "We love coming here, and we’re really proud to get another win in Canada. We stuck to our plan, and I’m really proud of the girls’ efforts."

Elsewhere, Spain’s men secured bronze for the second consecutive tournament with a 22-7 victory over Fiji, while Australia’s women beat Japan 26-12 to deny them a fairy-tale finish.