Shujaa’s brilliant start to Hong Kong 7s dented in narrow loss to Great Britain

Shujaa’s brilliant start to Hong Kong 7s dented in narrow loss to Great Britain

Mark Kinyanjui 10:25 - 28.03.2025

Shujaa must now beat France by any means necessary to qualify for the quarter finals, with their aim being to keep their top 8 hopes alive

Kenya’s Shujaa began their Hong Kong 7s campaign in impressive fashion, but their momentum was halted after a narrow 12-7 loss to Great Britain in their second pool match at Kai Tak Stadium on Friday, March 28.

Shujaa had taken the lead through Patrick Odongo’s well-earned try, which was successfully converted by Nigel Amaitsa. However, Great Britain responded with a converted try of their own, leveling the score at 7-7 by halftime.

Despite Kenya’s determined defensive effort, Great Britain managed to break through with an unconverted try in the second half, sealing a 12-7 victory. 

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The loss dealt a setback to Shujaa’s hopes of securing a top-eight finish, especially with Great Britain having already defeated France by the same scoreline earlier in the tournament.

Kenya now faces a must-win scenario against France to stay in contention for the quarterfinals.

Dominant Opening Victory Against Spain

Earlier in the day, Shujaa had made a statement with a commanding 19-0 win over Spain. From the outset, Kenya’s intensity put Spain’s defense under immense pressure. 

Though an early lineout loss momentarily disrupted their rhythm, Shujaa quickly regained control.

Spain dominated early possession, but Kenya’s rock-solid defense, led by Dennis Abukuse’s crucial tackle, prevented any breakthroughs.

 The breakthrough came when speedster Patrick Odongo exploited a defensive gap to score the opening try.

Kenya continued to capitalize on Spain’s errors, and their dominance in scrums allowed George Ooro to power through for the second try, which was successfully converted, giving Shujaa a 12-0 halftime lead.

The second half saw Kenya maintain their stranglehold on the game. Ooro’s physical play forced Spain into touch, setting the stage for Samuel Asati to dart over the line for Kenya’s third try. A successful conversion sealed the 19-0 victory, underscoring Shujaa’s early dominance in the tournament.

With their quarterfinal hopes hanging in the balance, Kenya must now regroup and secure a crucial victory over France to keep their Hong Kong 7s campaign alive.

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