An impressive performance by Kenya’s rugby sevens team, Shujaa, saw them make a powerful start to the HSBC Challenger 2024 series in Dubai, by securing a commanding 41-0 victory over Mexico at The Sevens Stadium on Friday, January 12, 2024 in their first game.
Shujaa then capped day 1 with a 29-7 victory over their East African rivals, Uganda.
In the first game, the dynamic duo of Kevin Wekesa and Patrick Odongo each contributed two tries, propelling Shujaa to an impressive start in Pool C.
The dominant Shujaa performance perhaps signalled the team’s intent to return to the rugby core status by winning the HSBC challenger 2024 series.
In the face-off against Uganda, Kenya 7s would once again showcase their swift and well-coordinated plays.
With back-to-back wins, Shujaa not only displayed their dominance but also earned a well-deserved place in the quarterfinals, setting the stage for their third pool match against Germany on Saturday, January 13.
Shujaa is competing in Pool C alongside neighbors Uganda, Mexico, and Germany.
How the Challenger series works
The Challenger Series features 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams divided into three pools of four teams each.
The top two from each pool and the best third-placed finishers will advance to the knockout stages, including quarterfinals and semi-finals, leading to the third-place and gold medal matches.
After Dubai, the series will then move to Montevideo, Uruguay, for the second round in March. The men’s Challenger Series 2024 will conclude in Germany, while the women’s will conclude in Poland in May.
The teams ranked ninth to 12th in the IRB Sevens Circuit standings will compete in a separate eight-team tournament alongside the top four teams from the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series 2024 to retain their Sevens core status.
Four men’s and four women’s teams will secure places in the World Sevens Circuit in 2025 through the tournaments, featuring a pool stage and a round of playoff matches.
