- Kenya 7s are through to their first Cup Final since the Hong Kong Sevens in 2018.
- This is Kenya’s first SVNS Series Final since 2018, not including the 2021 season which was disrupted by the COVID pandemic.
- They beat Spain 12-5 in the semifinals played on Sunday.
The men’s national rugby 7s team, Shujaa, have advanced to the 2025 Singapore 7s main cup finals after a commanding 12-5 victory over Spain in the semifinals played on Sunday morning, April 6 at the Singapore National Stadium.
Kenya has consistently demonstrated dominance throughout the tournament, securing impressive wins in the group stages where they triumphed over Ireland and France as they earned a spot in their first HSBC Sevens World Series 2025 semifinal.
They knocked off Ireland 17-7 in their tournament opener on Saturday before punching their ticket to the final four with a thrilling 10-7 win over France. Nygel Pettersan Amaitsa nailed a clutch 16th minute penalty which saw Kenya record the three-point triumph and book their semis spot.
Meeting Spain for the third time this season, Shujaa wasted no time asserting their dominance, with speedster Patrick Odongo crossing the line in the opening minute. Nygel Amaitsa added the extras, giving Kenya a 7-0 lead within the first two minutes of the semifinal.
Odongo struck again in the 8th minute, extending Shujaa’s lead to 12-0 at halftime and further cementing his status as the team’s top scorer with his 20th try of the HSBC SVNS Series 2025 campaign.
Spain came out aggressively in the second half, desperately seeking a try to level the score but Kenya’s resolute defense held firm.
A late miscue by Brian Tanga gifted Spain an opportunity and Pol Pla capitalized with a try in the dying minutes. However, the missed conversion left the score at 12-5, keeping Kenya ahead.
The tension escalated when Spain charged foward setting up a nail-biting finish but a series of penalties allowed Kenya to regain possession and with time well spent, Jone Kubu sealed the victory, booting the ball into the rafters and confirming Shujaa’s place in the Cup final.
This marks a significant milestone as Kenya has now reached their first Cup final since 2018 when they last appeared in the finals at the Hong Kong 7s, not including the 2021 season which was disrupted by the COVID pandemic.
Kenya 7s set up rematch of 2016 final
Shujaa will now face Fiji in the title decider, scheduled for 2:41 PM EAT, a repeat of the 2016 Singapore 7s final where Kenya emerged victorious with a 30-7 win.
Fiji secured their spot after a thrilling 24-33 semifinal win over Argentina who were already crowned the 2025 HSBC SVNS Series League winners.
Additionally, in the 2016 Singapore Sevens, Shujaa were crowned champions after defeating Fiji 30-7 in the Main Cup final, and they will now aim to reaffirm their dominance when they face Fiji in the Cup final later in the tournament.
