Captain Vincent Onyala reveals what has changed in new-look and efficient Shujaa

When Shujaa beat Chile 12-5 on Sunday 14 January 2024 in the main cup final of the opening leg in the 2024 Challenger Series held in Dubai, UAE, the men’s national 7s team made a strong statement of intent in regaining promotion to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

The victory helped Shujaa take an early lead in the race to finish inside the required top four places in the Challenger Series as they gained 20 points for their efforts, two ahead of second-placed Chile.

The win also ensured that Shujaa had won the last three consecutive tournaments they had taken part in under the stewardship of head coach Kevin ‘Bling’ Wambua – Africa 7s, Safari 7s and the Dubai 7s Challenger Series – losing only one game out of the eighteen played since Wambua took over.

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Speaking after the perfect start in Dubai, Shujaa co-captain Vincent Onyala revealed to SportPesa News why the team is currently producing results on the pitch and the reason behind their impressive form.

“I am super proud of Shujaa right now. I have never been proud to lead a national team. Last season, I was a vice captain but I sort of felt out of place.

This time, there is inclusivity and everyone is championing for the team. The players themselves, the energy they are bringing, the vibe, everything is just working for us,” Onyala said.

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With Shujaa needing to finish inside the top four in the Challenger Series in order to get a chance to secure an opportunity to compete in the new high stakes relegation play-off competition at the SVNS Grand Final in Madrid on 31 May-2 June, Onyala reiterated the team’s commitment in regaining promotion at the first attempt.

“When you plan something and work so hard towards it, you cannot fail to get it. The cruise so far is nice and we know that we are getting back to the HSBC Series. Once we get back that is when we will start asking ourselves difficult questions,” The KCB RFC player added.

The Challenger competition provides a clear promotion pathway to reach the pinnacle HSBC SVNS in 2025.

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The top four placed men’s and women’s teams from the 2024 Challenger, based on cumulative series points at the conclusion of the third round will secure an opportunity to compete in the new high stakes relegation play-off competition at the SVNS Grand Final in Madrid on 31 May-2 June, 2024 where they will compete against the teams ranked ninth to 12th from HSBC SVNS 2024.

Four successful nations from this Grand Final play-off will secure their place in HSBC SVNS 2025, while the other four teams will compete in their regional qualification tournaments to earn the right to compete in the World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025.

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Challenger 2024 dates

Dubai, UAE – 12-14 January - Champions

Montevideo, Uruguay – 8-10 March (men and women)

Krakow, Poland - 18-19 May (women)

Munich, Germany –18-19 May (men)

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