NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 12 – The national rugby 7s team will kick off their 2022/2023 HSBC Sevens World Series campaign in Hong Kong against Argentina, Ireland and Canada in Pool D.
The Hong Kong Sevens, slated for November 4-6, is the curtain raiser for the annual competition, which includes other legs in Dubai, Cape Town, Hamilton, Sydney, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Singapore, Toulouse and London.
Shujaa have an opportunity to exert revenge on the South Americans, to whom they lost 29-7 in a fifth-place match at the season-ending Los Angeles Sevens in August.
They will also have an axe to grind with the Irish who trounced them at the death, 17-14, during last month’s encounter at the London Sevens.
Shujaa will be hoping to repeat their heroics against Canada in their last tie at the Singapore Sevens, last month, when the Kenyans excelled 24-7 over their North American opponents.
The Damian McGrath-coached side will also be hoping for a better placing than their last competition where they finished 12th at last month’s Sevens World Cup in South Africa, losing 26-19 to the United States in their ultimate knockout tie.
McGrath will be taking charge of his first full World Series campaign, having assumed the reins from Innocent ‘Namcos’ Simiyu who was let go in May after poor results in Malaga, Spain and Vancouver, Canada.
The Englishman has previously said he is building a team with an eye on the Paris Olympics in 2024 and will be crossing his fingers that last season’s debutants kick on in terms of performances.
Some of the players who made their maiden bow in the national team last season include KCB RFC’s Kevin Wekesa, Mwamba’s Tony Omondi , Homeboyz trio of Richel Wanjala, Zeden Marrow and Collins Shikoli , Nondescript’s Ben Salem and Blak Blad’s Archadius Khwesa.
Hong Kong Sevens
POOL A: Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Hong Kong
POOL B: South Africa, France, Great Britain, Uruguay
POOL C: Fiji, USA, Spain, Japan
POOL D: Argentina, Ireland, Kenya, Canada
