Shujaa finish 10th after loss to New Zealand in Perth 7s
Kenya’s Shujaa ended their Perth Sevens campaign with a 19-12 loss to New Zealand in the 9th-place final, earning three points and remaining 9th in the standings. With three circuits left, the team faces a crucial push to secure a top-eight finish.
Kenya’s Shujaa wrapped up their Perth Sevens campaign with a 19-12 defeat to New Zealand in the 9th-place final on Sunday, securing 10th overall and collecting three points from the circuit.
The match mirrored their opening Pool C clash, where Shujaa fell 29-14 to the All Blacks. Once again, Kenya struggled to hold onto a promising halftime lead, with New Zealand rallying to score 12 unanswered points in the second half.
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The All Blacks struck first with Regan Ware’s try, converted by Andrew Knewstubb, for a 7-0 lead. However, Shujaa responded swiftly, igniting the Kenyan fans at Perth Rectangular Stadium. Anthony Mboya converted Patrick Odongo’s try to level the score before Vincent Onyala’s injury-time try gave Kenya a 12-7 advantage at halftime.
The second half followed a familiar pattern of missed opportunities for Shujaa. Andrew Knewstubb erased Kenya’s lead with a try and conversion, putting New Zealand ahead 14-12. As Shujaa struggled to regain momentum, Dylan Collier’s try sealed the 19-12 victory for the All Blacks.
Kenya earned three points from the Perth circuit, maintaining their 9th position in the series standings with a total of 14 points. The team still faces an uphill battle to break into the top eight, a crucial benchmark to qualify for the season finale in Los Angeles on 3-4 May.
Head coach Kevin Wambua had emphasised the importance of finishing in the top eight ahead of the circuit. With only three tournaments left before the finale, Shujaa now shifts their focus to the Vancouver Sevens, scheduled for 21-23 February.
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