Kenya 7s national team; Shujaa wrapped up their Dubai 7s campaign in 10th place after a 15-7 loss to Uruguay at the Sevens Stadium.
The tournament marked Shujaa’s return to the World Rugby Sevens Series under its revamped format introduced last season.
Over the weekend, Kenya registered two wins and three losses, offering valuable lessons as they adapt to the new-look series.
Uruguay started the final match on the front foot, with Ignacio Facciolo crossing over for the opening try to lead 5-0.
Moments later, Mateo Vinals extended the lead with an unconverted try, leaving Uruguay ahead 10-0 at halftime.
In the second half, Tomas Etcheverry widened the gap with a clinical corner try after exploiting a defensive lapse on Shujaa’s left flank.
Kenya responded through George Ooro, who powered through for a try under the posts after a quick tap penalty.
Samuel Asati added the extras, narrowing the scoreline to 15-7, but Uruguay held on for the win.
Kenya’s campaign began with a narrow 24-19 loss to France in their pool opener. They bounced back with a spirited 22-17 victory over South Africa before falling 31-14 to Australia in their final pool game.
This sent Shujaa to the ninth-place semifinals, where they outclassed Ireland 21-7 to set up a showdown with Uruguay. Despite their efforts, the 10th-place finish mirrors their performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Shujaa now turn their attention to the Cape Town 7s, set to take place next weekend at the Nelson Mandela Stadium, where they’ll look to build on their Dubai experience.
