Shujaa silence France to secure first semifinal slot of season
Shujaa reached their first main cup semifinal of the 2025 HSBC SVNS season after defeating France 10–7 in a tense Pool B clash at the Singapore Sevens, just hours after a convincing 17–7 win over Ireland.
Kenya Sevens national team, Shujaa, stormed into the main cup semifinals of the 2025 Singapore Sevens after edging past France 10–7 in a tense Pool B decider on Saturday.
In what was a crucial test of composure and maturity, Shujaa stood tall when it mattered most, overcoming past struggles against the French and sealing a first semifinal appearance of the season in dramatic fashion.
Having lost to France in all three of their previous encounters this season—24–19 in Dubai, 33–7 in Vancouver, and 14–7 in Hong Kong—Shujaa entered the match with a point to prove. And they did just that.
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Vincent Onyala opened the scoring in the third minute with a well-worked try, which Nygel Amaitsa converted to give Kenya a 7–0 lead at the break. The early spark showed Kenya’s renewed intent, contrasting sharply with their previous lapses at crucial stages of tournaments.
France, however, levelled the scores midway through the second half with Joe Quere Karaba touching down and Enehamo Artaud converting to make it 7–7, setting up a nail-biting finish.
But this time, Shujaa kept their nerve.
With seconds left on the clock, Amaitsa calmly slotted a penalty to restore Kenya’s lead, sealing a 10–7 victory and sparking celebrations on the touchline. It was a moment of redemption for the team, having so often faltered under pressure in recent outings.
The result confirmed Shujaa’s place in Sunday’s main cup semifinals - scheduled for 9:34 a.m. and 9:56 a.m. local time - as they await their opponent after the conclusion of all pool matches.
Earlier in the day, Kenya had set the tone for a strong campaign by beating Ireland 17–7 in their opening match. That result not only avenged February’s 19–14 defeat in Vancouver but also showcased Shujaa’s defensive steel and clinical finishing.
Amaitsa opened the scoring against Ireland with a converted try, while Kevin Wekesa added a second just before halftime. Despite Wekesa being sin-binned in the second half, Shujaa held firm and added a third through Patrick Odongo before conceding a late consolation try.
With back-to-back wins in Singapore, Shujaa are showing signs of resurgence, nine years after lifting their first-and only-World Series title at the same venue in 2016.
Though they can no longer qualify for the Grand Final in Los Angeles in May, having fallen short of the top eight in the overall standings, this semifinal qualification is a much-needed boost. Shujaa, currently 9th with 18 points, are guaranteed at least 14 more - vital momentum ahead of next month’s promotion-relegation playoff in the United States.
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