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Maik Kwambo

Shujaa's IRB Sevens World Series Campaigns We will have to begin our review in December 2008 because the events of the opening two rounds of Kenya’s 2008/2009 IRB Sevens World Series would impact heavily on what lay in store for Shujaa.

A strong performance at the season opening Dubai Sevens saw the Kenyans; notoriously slow starters in previous editions of the IRB Sevens World Series qualify for the main cup quarter finals, bowing out 5-21 to New Zealand before losing out to Samoa in the plate semi finals following a narrow 7-12 loss. South Africa beat England 19-12 to win the 2008 Dubai title.

The lads would then head out to George, South Africa for the second leg of the series. Their performances in George left a lot to be desired, losing out to Portugal and Samoa in their group matches before falling 14-19 to France in the bowl semis. South Africa won this tournament with a 12-7 win over New Zealand. Shujaa failed to collect any points from the South African mission, meaning they would head into 2009 with six points, all collected in Dubai.

When the series resumed in February 2009, Kenya claimed the scalp of their continental rivals South Africa for the very first time, beating them 22-17 during the group stages of the Wellington Sevens in New Zealand. Favorable results saw Shujaa make it to the Wellington Sevens main cup quarter finals where they beat Wales 10-7 in a tightly contested semi final before losing 0-26 to eventual tournament winners England. England beat hosts New Zealand 19-17 in a thrilling final.

Kiwis finally downed

As if the South African scalp was not enough, Shujaa would turn in a heroic display a week later in San Diego, USA when they stunned New Zealand 24-7, topping the pool en route to a quarter final match up against hosts USA. This was Shujaa’s first win over the Kiwis in fourteen attempts. The US Eagles would beat Shujaa 14-7, sending the Kenyans to the plate where they beat Samoa 17-12 in the semis before allowing New Zealand to gain ample revenge for the previous day’s loss with a 22-7 win in the plate final. Argentina would win this title with a 19-14 win over England.Meanwhile, Shujaa were quietly confident going into the IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai.

And they did not disappoint! Qualifying second from pool C behind favorites England, Shujaa had already created history by earning automatic qualification to the 2013 event courtesy of making the last eight. They went on to register that historic 26-7 win over Fiji, knocking out the Pacific islanders who were the reigning RWC Sevens champs. The physicality and hunger of the Kenyans left the Fijians, revered masters of the sevens code of rugby utterly baffled. If this was war, this would have been a crime against humanity!

This result meant that the Melrose Cup would be headed to a new destination, Kenya perhaps? No! Argentina rained on the Kenyan parade, grinding out a 12-0 win over Shujaa, setting up a most unlikely final with Wales. The Welsh would score a narrow 19-12 win that granted them the Melrose Cup and the RWC Sevens title.

When the IRB Sevens World Series resumed in Hong Kong, teams were wary of Shujaa. Minnows West Indies restricted them to a 17-10 win. Shujaa would win their remaining two pool matches, 31-7 against Scotland and 19-12 against the USA, finishing top of their pool F, setting up a quarter final tie against New Zealand.

Kenya would again prevail over New Zealand, winning 10-7, a second successive win after fourteen straight losses to the Kiwis. Kenya’s opponents in the semi final were Fiji, the team they had stunned at the RWC Sevens a few weeks back. The Fijians left nothing to chance, winning this one 26-7 before winning the 2009 Hong Kong title with a 26-24 win over South Africa.

Making that first final

Next stop was Adelaide, Australia, the sixth leg of the series. Kenya, South Africa, Cook Islands and Japan made up pool D. Kenya had yet to beat South Africa in the series but all that would change when they claimed a famous 15-14 win, only their second ever over their continental rivals.

More importantly, Kenya had finally claimed all the big scalps. Two more pool D wins over Japan and the Cook Islands saw Kenya top the pool, setting up a quarter final date with Wales whom they easily dispatched 33-14.

When Kenya played Argentina in the semi final, this was a repeat of the RWC Sevens semis. Shujaa prevailed 17-5, making to their first ever IRB Sevens World Series main cup final. Their opponents in the title decider were a certain South African side that they had vanquished a day earlier. Many Kenyans dared to dream but the South Africans, keen to avoid a second successive loss to Kenya were all businesslike; their ruthless efficiency earned them a 26-7 win that saw them win the Adelaide Sevens.

Sometimes you do your best but lady luck deserts you. That was the story of Kenya’s London campaign. London was the seventh leg of the series and Shujaa failed to make the main cup quarters in London because of an inferior points difference despite a three way tie on points with Fiji and Scotland. Relegated to the bowl, Humphrey Kayange’s charges conquered all before them, winning the bowl title with a 12-7 win over Wales. England would win this tournament with a 31-26 win over New Zealand.

Best position overall

The curtains fell on the 2008/2009 IRB Sevens World Series in Scotland where Shujaa topped pool C before losing out 7-19 to Wales in the main cup quarters. New Zealand would knock them out of the bowl courtesy of that 26-21 win while Fiji beat South Africa 20-19 to claim the Scotland leg.

South Africa would be crowned 2008/2009 IRB Sevens World Series champions while Kenya’s Shujaa finished sixth overall, their highest ever position. They accumulated 68 points. Adding more icing to the cake was Shujaa’s Collins Injera who emerged top try scorer at the end of the 2008/2009 season with 42 tries. He was also nominated alongside his elder brother and Shujaa skipper Humphrey Kayange for the IRB Sevens World Series player of the year. A great year for Kenya Sevens!

Shujaa would crown this successful season by retaining their home tournament, the Safari Sevens when they beat South Africa’s Emerging Springboks 40-19 at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi in June.

With two rounds of the 2009/2010 IRB Sevens World Series already underway, Shujaa find themselves in sixth position on 22 points. Twice they have fallen to series leaders New Zealand, at the quarter final stage in Dubai and the semi final stage in George; tournaments that the Kiwis have won, enabling them to be perched atop the series standings. With six more rounds to play, Benjamin Ayimba’s Shujaa will be going all out to improve on last season’s precedent setting displays. They know it will be a challenge but they would want to believe that it is a challenge that they can overcome.

The National Sevens Circuit

When the 2009 Western Union National Sevens Circuit kicked off in Kisumu, many wondered how it would turn out to be, especially after players called up to the Shujaa squad were withdrawn. Would the NSC’s quality be watered down? Which teams would be dominant? Would the event be worth watching?

Well, speaking with the benefit of hindsight, the 2009 Western Union National Sevens Circuit was a memorable one. There was plenty of talent that was unearthed during the five week event, there was drama right up to the last day when the overall title was decided and there was an unprecedented shift in power.

Nakuru RFC won the opening leg in Kisumu, a feat they achieved after losing a number of key players during the close season. Their young lads blended well with Simon Wariuki, running off with the Dala Sevens title after beating Kenya Harlequin 22-0 in the final.

These two sides would face off at the Christie Sevens final in Nairobi a week later. Nakuru lost their playmaker Wariuki with a dislocated shoulder that ruled him out of the rest of the circuit, their young charges still made it to the final where they came unstuck against a hungry Quins side, equally young with a touch of experience. 31-17 to Quins and the buzz on everyone’s lips at this point was that the NSC was going to be a Nakuru- Quins affair.

Leos take control

Mitch “Mojojo” Ocholla’s Strathmore Leos would have different ideas.

The varsity lads had been quietly going about their own business, making the semi finals in Kisumu and Nairobi before staging a come from behind 21-14 win over Quins in the Prinsloo Sevens final in Nakuru, a result that gave Quins leadership of the NSC but more importantly threw the circuit wide open.

The Leos recorded a second win in Nairobi during the Kabeberi Sevens where they beat KCB 10-5 to win the event. When the teams converged in Mombasa on Jamhuri Day weekend, there was all to play for. Strathmore and Quins were tied on points, Strath just leading because of a better overall record. They would inevitably meet in the title match in Mombasa, the Leos running off 17-10 winners, claiming the 2009 Western Union National Sevens Circuit overall title.

That was Kenya’s international and local sevens rugby in 2009.