Kenya's Patrick Odongo lands for a try against Uruguay in a men's Pool C match at the 2025 HSBC SVNS Perth at HBF Park on January 25, 2025 in Perth, Australia.
The world of rugby will be focused on Kenya when the Nairobi Sevens, the opening leg of the World Rugby Sevens Division II is held at Nyayo National Stadium this weekend.
On display over the two days will be some of the world’s finest sevens players, who boast years of experience, especially the home team Shujaa, the United States of America’s the Eagles, and Los Teros of Uruguay.
The three teams competed in the 2024/2025 World Rugby Sevens Series before World Rugby changed the format of the series with now has Division One, Two and Three.
Shujaa, the Eagles, Los Teros, Germany Wolfpack, Canada, and Belgium will battle out in a round-robin format at the iconic Nyayo Stadium, better known as the home of football.
Nation Sports takes a look at the rugby men likely to dazzle at Nyayo this weekend:
These are the players to watch:
Kenya Sevens winger Patrick Odongo.
Patrick Odongo (Kenya): The speedster was dangerously consistent in the past two seasons, in the 2024 Challenger Series, the 2024/2025 World Rugby Sevens and for National Sevens Circuit with his club, Daystar University. He has scored 20 tries in the World Rugby Series, accomplishing the feat during the 2024/2025 season. The 23-year-old made his debut for Kenya Sevens at the 2023 Safari Sevens. Regarded as one of the best finishers in the world, watch out for his phenomenal acceleration down the wing. Kenya will rely on his ability to smell the try line from metres out.
Kenya Shujaa's Kevin Wekesa takes on a French Renegade player during Safari 7’s preliminary match at Nyayo National Stadium on October 11, 2025
Kelvin Wekesa (Kenya): The "hulking", 100kg six-foot Kabras Sugar forward played in over 22 World Rugby Sevens matches, scoring 10 tries during the 2024/2025 season, hence a vital ingredient for Kenya owing to his powerful runs. Wekesa, who is fresh from winning the 2025 Climate Action Award, is a reliable ball carrier who can use route one and also take it wide. And he scores tries. Regularly.
Stephen Tomasin (USA): The team skipper is the hinge that the Eagles revolve around. He debuted for the USA as a teenager at the 2013 Gold Coast Sevens and has been part and parcel of the Eagles since then.
His vast experience and leadership skills are what the Eagles will bank on in the series. He was part of the squad that finished second during the 2018/2019 World Sevens Series, their best ever placing, and was deservedly named as one of the three Eagles players in the World Rugby Dream Team that season. He is versatile enough to play as a hooker and scrum-half. Was prominent for the USA in the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town and the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
Lucas Lacamp (USA): A centre, who earned his first cap at the 2022 Dubai Sevens, he has competed for the USA at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens. Possesses a sharp sevens mind coupled with speed that makes him a handful for opposing defenders.
Diego Ardao (Uruguay) The forward, who captained Los Teros at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, is a powerful running ball carrier and difficult to bring down. The go to man for Uruguay when the game is tight. He is the team's most experienced player, often delivering crucial performances in high-stakes ties. Their X-factor. Under his guidance, the team achieved core status in the World Rugby Sevens Series for the first time in 2022 and reclaimed it in 2024 following a dominant performance in the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series, where Ardao was the top try scorer with 11 tries.
Carlos Soteras Merz (Germany): He captained the team to a top-four finish at the play-offs for promotion/relegation at the 2025 USA Sevens, qualifying them to compete in the 2026 World Sevens Series that never was. A natural leader and playmaker.
Jakob Dipper (Germany): The team’s try-scoring machine. Instrumental in Germany's development in rugby sevens, he scored an outstanding 13 tries during his Europe Sevens Championship Series debut, helping Germany qualify for the 2024 World Rugby Challenger Series.
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