Kenya Shujaa secure World Rugby Sevens Championship series spot
Kenya Shujaa players celebrate at Nyayo National Stadium after finishing third in the World Rugby HSBC Division II tournament on February 15, 2026.
What you need to know:
- Shujaa thrashed Germany 38-7 before losing to Belgium for the first time in the series 14-12 in their second duel.
- Kenya Lionesses are out of reckoning for the Women’s World Championship after losing to Argentina 19-12.
Kenya have secured a place in the World Rugby Sevens Championship series with three matches to spare at the Sevens Division II third and final leg in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Shujaa thrashed Germany 38-7 before losing to Belgium for the first time in the series 14-12 in their second duel at the Estadio Nicolau Alayon on Saturday.
Kenya Shujaa are due to face Canada whom they beat in Nairobi and Montevideo legs, at 10:21pm on Saturday. Shujaa ran through Canada 29-12 in Nairobi and 19-5 in Montevideo.
Belgium and Uruguay chalked up stunning results to take an early lead in Sao Paulo with six points each.
Before edging out Kenya, Belgium had stunned series leaders USA 24-25 while Uruguay beat Canada 24-22 before steamrolling Germany 26-19.
With USA, Germany and Kenya all assured of advancing to the World Championship, the fourth and final qualification spot was left to Uruguay, Belgium and Canada to fight it out.
Kenya Lionesses are out of reckoning for the Women’s World Championship after losing to Argentina 19-12 in their opening match in Sao Paulo. They were due to face South Africa at 9:18pm on Saturday night.
Top four men’s and women’s teams from Division II will join eight teams from the World Rugby Sevens Division I at the World Championship series that will feature three events in Hong Kong (April 17-19), Valladolid-Spain (May 29-31) and Bordeaux-France (June 5-7).
Back-to-back victories
The winners will be crowned world champions while the top eight teams earn the right to play in the 2026/2027 World Rugby Division I. The bottom four teams will be relegated to Division II.
South Africa won four of the six legs in the 2025/2026 World Rugby Division I, collecting 106 points. They claimed back-to-back victories in Perth, Australia, Vancouver, Canada and New York, the USA after having winning in Cape Town.
Fiji, who won in Singapore, finished second with 104 points while the Dubai leg winners New Zealand, were fourth with 80 points and Australia third on 82.
Meanwhile, Nondescripts dismantled Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (Mmust) 50-7 at the Ngong Racecourse on Saturday to book their place in the Kenya Cup semi-finals play-off.
Kenyatta University’s Blak Blad beat Impala 20-8 to cement their semi-final play-off place as they stayed fifth with an improved tally of 24 points.
Nondies moved from ninth place to sixth with 25 points after winning the match that had been postponed, as they relegated Nakuru to seventh position with 22 points.
Nondies will now travel to Nakuru for a showdown with last year’s Kenya Cup losing finalist Menengai Oilers in the semi-final play-offs, while Blak Blad will take on Strathmore University Leos in the other play-offs at Strathmore University Sports Complex.
The winner between Oilers and Nondies will face KCB, who finished second, in the semi-final, with the winners from the varsity derby taking on unbeaten champions Kabras Sugar in the other semis duel.
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