- Kenya 7s have learned their opponents for the opening leg of the 2026 HSBC SVNS World Championship in Hong Kong.
- They have been placed in a “pool of death,” where they will face New Zealand, Australia, and USA Eagles in Pool C.
- The Hong Kong leg is scheduled for April 17–19 at Kai Tak Sports Park.
The men’s national sevens side, Shujaa, have landed in a “pool of death” for the upcoming first leg of the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Hong Kong, running from April 17-19 at the Kai Tak Sports Park.
After finishing second overall in the HSBC SVNS 2, which featured legs in Nairobi, Montevideo, and Sao Paulo, Shujaa accumulated 50 points, just two shy of overall leaders USA.
They are now among the top 12 men’s and women’s teams – eight sides from the main HSBC SVNS tour, joined by four qualifiers from the recently concluded Series 2 – who will compete across three thrilling three-day sevens extravaganzas in Hong Kong, Valladolid, and Bordeaux.
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Kenya 7s drawn alongside All Blacks in Hong Kong 7s 2026
The campaign kicks off in Hong Kong, now just a fortnight away from Tuesday, March 31, when the pools were unveiled by World Rugby. Shujaa have been drawn into a highly daunting and demanding Group C “group of death.”
Here, they will face two of the toughest sides from the HSBC SVNS 1. Australia, who finished third overall, and New Zealand All Blacks, who placed fourth with 80 points, just two behind Australia -make for formidable opposition.
The third team in the group is the USA Eagles 7s, familiar rivals from Series 2. Kenya and the USA have clashed multiple times at that level, with the Americans prevailing in Nairobi and Montevideo before Shujaa exacted revenge in Sao Paulo last weekend.
Even before the current format change, Shujaa have previously faced both New Zealand and Australia in the HSBC SVNS, giving them valuable experience.
Their last encounters with Australia was in the Dubai 7s 2024, where Australia won 31-14, though Kenya turned the tables in the Cape 7s pool stage with a 19-12 victory.
Against the All Blacks, their most recent meetings were in the Perth 7s, with New Zealand winning 29-14 in the pool stage and 19-12 in the ninth-place playoffs.
ALSO READ: Shujaa narrowly fall to Great Britain at Hong Kong 7s
While Group C is undeniably challenging, these are opponents Kenya has faced before, either in the HSBC SVNS Series or the Challenger Series, prior to the format revamp.
Elsewhere, Pool A features a strong lineup with HSBC SVNS 1 overall leaders South Africa will take on Argentina, Spain, and Uruguay, while Pool B brings together Fiji, France, Great Britain, and Germany setting the stage for another electrifying round of international sevens rugby.
With the pools now confirmed, anticipation continues to build as teams finalize their preparations for one of the most iconic stops on the global sevens circuit. Match fixtures and kickoff times will be released in due course.
After this stop in China, they will head to the second leg in Valladolid from May 29-31, before wrapping up with the Bordeaux leg from June 5-7, where the top eight teams will earn their spot in the HSBC SVNS 1.
Kenya 7s Hong Kong 7s 2026 pools
Mens Category
- Pool A: South Africa, Argentina, Spain, Uruguay
- Pool B: Fiji, France, Great Britain, Germany
- Pool C: Australia, New Zealand, USA Eagles, Kenya
Womens Category
- Pool A: New Zealand, Fiji, Japan, Brazil
- Pool B: Australia, Canada, Great Britain, South Africa
- Pool C: USA, France, Argentina, Spain