- Kenya 7s coach Kevin Wambua is feeling optimistic ahead of the opening leg of the World Championship Series at the Hong Kong 7s.
- The tournament is scheduled for April 17–19 at Kai Tak Sports Park.
- Shujaa have been drawn in Pool C alongside Australia, New Zealand, and USA Eagles.
Kenya 7s coach Kevin Wambua is upbeat ahead of the opening leg of the World Championship Series at the Hong Kong 7s, set for April 17–19 at Kai Tak Sports Park, as he emphasizes the importance of securing a win in their first match against Australia.
Shujaa have just nine days to prepare before the tournament, where they will face 12 other formidable mens sevens nations from around the globe in a pathway competition to the top-tier HSBC SVNS 1 series.
The team secured their spot in the Championship Series last month after bagging second place overall in the HSBC SVNS 2, a three-stop journey that took them through Nairobi, Montevideo, and Sao Paulo.
Now on the road to the top tier, they will begin their campaign at the Hong Kong 7s before heading to the second leg at Valladolid from May 29-31, and finally concluding the tournament in Bordeaux, where a top-eight finish will secure promotion to the elite level.
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Coach Wambua confident Shujaa can silence Australia at Hong Kong 7s
Speaking to SportPesa during a training session on Tuesday, April 7, at Kasarani Stadium, coach Bling mentioned that they will be battling the world’s top 11 sides, so there’s no such thing as an easy match.
Still, they are aiming to ride the momentum from their last outing in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where they finished second.
“Well, again, it’s the 12 best sevens teams in the world at the moment, so there’s no easy game throughout. It’s important for us to get a good start it gives us momentum. We’re building on the momentum from Sao Paulo, where I think we had a decent tournament. If we can build on that, we should be good,” Bling explained.
Shujaa have been placed in a highly competitive pool C, where they will face top-tier sides Australia and New Zealand, alongside familiar opponents USA Eagles, whom they were promoted with after USA topped the SVNS 2 series.
Wambua believes they have what it takes to silence Australia, their first opponent in Hong Kong. He’s confident this is a match they can win and use to make a bold statement at the Championship.
“So it’s important for us to settle early against Australia. They’re a quality side, but we’ve had our share of wins against them, just as we’ve had defeats. If we execute well in training this week and address key areas ahead of next week, it’s definitely a game we can win,” he added.
ALSO READ: Shujaa narrowly miss Sao Paulo title, finish second overall in 2026 HSBC SVNS 2
On Friday, April 17, Kenya 7s will launch their campaign against Australia at 12:56 PM EAT, then close out day one against New Zealand at 3:47 PM EAT.
On day two, they’ll finish the pool fixtures with a showdown against the USA at 8:24 AM EAT.
The quarterfinals are scheduled for the same day, while Sunday will feature playoffs, semifinals, and the final.
Kenya 7s Hong Kong 7s 2026 Pools
Men’s Category
- Pool A: South Africa, Argentina, Spain, Uruguay
- Pool B: Fiji, France, Great Britain, Germany
- Pool C: Australia, New Zealand, USA Eagles, Kenya
Women’s Category
- Pool A: New Zealand, Fiji, Japan, Brazil
- Pool B: Australia, Canada, Great Britain, South Africa
- Pool C: USA, France, Argentina, Spain
Kenya 7s Hong Kong 7s Schedule & Fixtures
Friday, April 17
- Shujaa vs Australia – 12:56pm EAT
- Shujaa vs New Zealand – 3:47pm EAT
Saturday, April 18
- Shujaa vs USA Eagles – 8:24am EAT
- Quarterfinal – 12:13pm – 3:28pm EAT
Sunday, April 19
- Semis / Playoffs – 5:46pm – 1:03pm EAT
- Final – 2:14pm EAT