Kenya’s last place finish at last weekend’s Hong Kong Sevens has heightened the fear that the sare on the brink of being relegated for the first time from the HSBC World Series Sevens at the end of the season.
With just two tournaments left after this weekend’s Singapore Sevens, the Shujaa are in real danger of being one of the sides dropped to the Challenger series at the end of the season, and their poor performance in Hong Kong has only increased those fears.
They currently lie 13th on the World Series standings with 30 points, 10 points shy of the safety of 11th place, currently occupied by Spain and while the next few tournaments are crucial for Kenya, they will also be keeping an eye on continental rivals South Africa.
If South Africa are not one of the four automatic qualifiers for the Olympics, deemed by finishing in the top four of the current series, then they will have to play a regional qualifier for Olympic qualification and will pit themselves against Kenya for a prized Olympic spot.
The way the World Series works is that the 15th placed team is automatically relegated, while the 12th, 13th and 14th placed teams and the 2023 Challenger Series winner will play in a relegation playoff after the last leg of the World Series in London.
The teams will face off in a round-robin format, with the two top teams in a mini final and the winner becoming the 12th team in a streamlined World Series.
Kenya’s form has been less than appetising, losing 26-12 to Samoa in the ninth place quarterfinal before losing to Hong Kong in the semifinals for 13th place.
Meanwhile coach Damian McGrath has made one change to the side for the Singapore Sevens, bringing in Brunson Madigu to replace an injured Tony Omondi in the side.
Omondi picked up an ankle injury in Hong Kong.
Kenya are pooled with France, USA and Uruguay in Pool C.
Kenya’s matches
Saturday
05.20 vs France
08.24 vs USA
12.07 vs Uruguay