Hamilton 7s: Shujaa Into Top 10 Despite Seventh-Place Playoff Loss To Argentina

NAIROBI, Kenya- Kenya national sevens team Hamilton journey ended in a seventh-place play-off narrow 19-17 defeat at the hands of Argentina on Sunday morning.

Shujaa set up the enticing clash with the Pumas after missing out on the semis following only one win from the tough Pool B that had England, Japan and South Africa.

Shujaa were on course to upset England in their opener at the FMG Waikato Stadium but Paul Feeney’s charges squandered a healthy 19-5 lead to lose 24-19.

Kenya would then go on to relinquish a 12-5 lead in their 12-12 draw against non-core side Japan, a result that all but ended their hopes of reaching today’s Main Cup semi-finals with only pool winners assured of progression.

In the final pool match against a blistering South African side, Shujaa picked up the pace and looked the more threatening side from the start with a Willy Ambaka try opening the scoring.

Geoffrey Okwach then scored a few seconds later and Kenya’s record try-scorer Collins Injera added one a minute later to give the Kenyans a 19-0 lead.

Muller du Plessis and Zain Davids each touched down for Blitzbokke with successful conversions from Branco Du Preez and Selvyn Davids but that was to be their only points of the game.

Jeff Oluoch, Alvin ‘Buffa’ Otieno and Vincent Onyala each got a try to round off the humiliating defeat.

Following the conclusion of the Hamilton Sevens, Kenya are in 10th place on the standings with 25 points.

New Zealand still lead the standings with 63 points, 15 ahead of South Africa and France who are in second and third respectively but tied on points.

Kenya will now turn their focus to the Sydney leg of the 2019/20 HSBC World Sevens Series on February 1 and 2.