Fixtures that will decide Shujaa’s World Rugby Sevens Series promotion fate
28th May 2024
Shujaa need to finish inside the top four teams out of eight sides to gain immediate promotion back to the top tier.
- Eight nations will take part in the 2024 HSBC Sevens Series promotion/relegation play-off.
- Kenya is in Pool B alongside Chile, Samoa and Spain.
- Pool A has USA, Canada, Uruguay and Germany.
The men’s national rugby 7s side, Shujaa, will be in action
for the final time this season at the 2024 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series
promotion/relegation play-off later this week in Spain.
Shujaa will be seeking to return to the world’s biggest stage in the tournament scheduled to be held between May 31 and June 1 at the Civitas Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid.
The Kelvin Wambua-coached charges were relegated from the HSBC series in 2023 after suffering a narrow 12-7 defeat in the hands of Canada.
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They head to Spain riding high on confidence having registered a second-place position in the 2024 Challenger Series behind Uruguay.
Shujaa have been grouped in Pool B alongside Chile, hosts Spain and Central South Pacific Ocean nation Samoa.
Samoa and Spain were among the four teams which finished at the bottom of the HSBC Sevens Series this season.
Shujaa is expected to open its campaign on Friday at 6:25 PM
Kenyan time against Samoa before locking horns with Spain at 10:18 PM.
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The 2024 Paris Olympic Games bound team will then complete its group matches against Chile at 8:18 PM on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Uruguay, Germany, United States and Canada will battle it out in Pool A.
The competition format involves two pools of four teams to decide who plays who in the all-important play off matches on Sunday, with the winners of the resulting four cross-over matches securing their place in HSBC SVNS 2025, while the losing teams will enter the regional qualification pathway for the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025.
Speaking ahead of the much-awaited event, Shujaa co-captain Vincent Onyala was optimistic of a good show.
“Hopefully we’ll get there and build on our little moments then see ourselves back in the HSBC SVNS Series.
“It will be big. Our programme will grow. The boys that are coming in will experience what it means to play with the best and we’ll build on from there,” he was quoted by World Rugby website.