Kenya national rugby sevens team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Kenya women's national rugby sevens team. For the Palestinian militant, see Abu Shujaa.

Kenya

Union	Kenya Rugby Union
Emblem(s)	The African lion
Coach(es)	Kevin Wambu
Captain(s)	Vincent Onyala
Most caps	Collins Injera (79)
Top scorer	Collins Injera (1,443) [1]
Most tries	Collins Injera (279) [2]
Team kit
World Cup Sevens
Appearances	6 (First in 2001 )
Best result	3rd place (2009)
Official website
www.kru.co.ke

The Kenya national rugby sevens team competes in the World Rugby Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Commonwealth Games. Kenya recorded its first tournament win in the World Rugby Sevens Series after beating Fiji at the 2016 Singapore Sevens. ^[3] Kenya has also been successful in the Rugby World Cup Sevens, reaching the semifinals in 2009 and again in 2013.^{[ citation needed ]}

The Kenya Sevens team is sometimes referred to by the Kenyan and international press as Shujaa, ^[4] a Swahili word meaning courage, confidence, bravery, or heroism. The Kenya national rugby sevens team is one of the more successful sporting teams representing Kenya. They have won the men's Team of the Year category six times at the Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year Awards: 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, ^{[5] [6]} 2013, and 2016.

Kenya won the first round of the 2024 World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series in Dubai. ^{[7] [8]} They were runners-up in the overall series and qualified for the SVNS promotion and relegation play-off competition at the 2024 Spain Sevens. ^{[9] [10]}

Honors

• Main Cup winners at the 2016 Singapore Sevens
• Main cup finalists at the
  • 2009 Adelaide Sevens
  • 2013 Wellington Sevens
  • 2018 Canada Sevens
  • 2018 Hong Kong Sevens

World Rugby Sevens Series

A line-out during the 2008 Edinburgh Sevens

Kenya has competed in the World Series every year since the competition's inception in 1999–2000. Kenya's best season came in 2012–13 when they finished fifth in the Series. Collins Injera and Humphrey Kayange were both nominated for World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year in 2009, but lost to England's Ollie Phillips.

World Series record

Season	Position	Most tries	Most points
1999–00	20th
2000–01	23rd
2001–02	23rd
2002–03	10th	Dennis Mwanja (6)	Oscar Osir (79)
2003–04	11th	Oscar Osir (28)	Oscar Osir (158)
2004–05	10th	Allan Makaka (17)	Allan Makaka (87)
2005–06	9th	Sidney Ashioya (18)	Lavin Asego (163)
2006–07	11th	Innocent Simiyu (19)	Innocent Simiyu (115)
2007–08	7th	Collins Injera (18)	Collins Injera (92)
2008–09	6th	Collins Injera (42)	Collins Injera (210)
2009–10	8th	Humphrey Kayange (33)	Lavin Asego (173)
2010–11	9th	Humphrey Kayange (31)	Humphrey Kayange (157)
2011–12	12th	Willy Ambaka (16)	Lavin Asego (81)
2012–13	5th	Willy Ambaka (24)	Willy Ambaka (120)
2013–14	7th	Collins Injera (30)	Collins Injera (166)
2014–15	13th	Billy Odhiambo (20)	Billy Odhiambo (100)
2015–16	7th	Collins Injera (32)	Collins Injera (172)
2016–17	12th	Billy Odhiambo (22)	Billy Odhiambo/Samuel Oliech (110)
2017–18	8th	Willy Ambaka (31)	Willy Ambaka (155)
2018–19	13th	Vincent Onyala (22)	Daniel Taabu (157)
2019–20	12th
2021	3rd	Alvin Otieno (11)	Alvin Otieno (55)
2021–22	12th
2022–23	13th
Total		Collins Injera (279)	Collins Injera (1,443)

Tournament history

Summer Olympic Games

Olympic Games record Year Round Position Pld W L D Qualifying 2016 Placement round 11th 5 1 4 0 Won the 2015 Africa Cup Sevens 2020 Placement round 9th 5 2 3 0 Won the 2019 Africa Men's Sevens 2024 Placement round 9th 5 2 3 0 Won the 2023 Africa Men's Sevens Total Placement round 3/3 15 5 10 0

Olympic Games History 2016 Pool stage   Kenya 7 – 31  Great Britain Loss Pool stage   Kenya 5 – 28  New Zealand Loss Pool stage   Kenya 7 – 31  Japan Loss 9–12th place semifinal   Kenya 12 – 14  Spain Loss Eleventh place playoff   Kenya 24 – 0  Brazil Win 2020 Pool stage   Kenya 14 – 19  United States Loss Pool stage   Kenya 5 – 14  South Africa Loss Pool stage   Kenya 7 – 12  Ireland Loss 9–12th place semifinal   Kenya 21 – 7  Japan Win Ninth place playoff   Kenya 22 – 0  Ireland Win 2024 Pool stage   Kenya 12 – 31  Argentina Loss Pool stage   Kenya 7 – 21  Australia Loss Pool stage   Kenya 0 – 26  Samoa Loss 9–12th place semifinal   Kenya 19 – 14  Uruguay Win Ninth place playoff   Kenya 10 – 5  Samoa Win

Rugby World Cup Sevens

World Cup record
Tournament	Round	Position	Played	Won	Lost	Drew	Most tries
1993	Did not qualify
1997
2001	Bowl Semifinals	=19th	7	1	6	0
2005	Bowl Semifinals	=19th	7	3	4	0	Lucas Onyango (6)
2009	Semifinals	=3rd	5	3	2	0	Collins Injera (5)
2013	Semifinals	4th	6	4	2	0	Humphrey Kayange (6)
2018	Challenge quarterfinals	16th	5	1	4	0	Jeffrey Oluoch (4)
2022	11th Place Final	12th	4	1	3	0	Vincent Onyala (4)
Total	0 Titles	6/8	34	13	21	0	C. Injera & H. Kayange (9)

Commonwealth Games

Kenya playing the Cook Islands at 2014 Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	L	D
1998	Bowl Quarterfinals	13th	5	0	5	0
2002	Bowl Semifinals	11th	5	2	3	0
2006	Bowl Champions	9th	6	4	2	0
2010	Plate Semifinals	7th	5	3	2	0
2014	Plate Semifinals	7th	5	2	3	0
2018	Placement round	8th	5	2	3	0
2022	Placement round	=7th	4	2	2	0
Total	0 Titles	7/7	35	15	20	0

Africa Men's Sevens

Africa Men's Sevens record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	L	D
2000	Finals	2nd	7	5	2	0
2004	Champions	1st	5	5	0	0
2008	Champions	1st	5	5	0	0
2012	Did Not Compete
2013	Champions	1st	6	6	0	0
2014	Finals	2nd	7	5	2	0
2015	Champions	1st	6	6	0	0
2016	Semifinals	3rd	4	3	1	0
2017	Did Not Compete
2018	Finals	2nd	5	4	1	0
2019	Champions	1st	6	6	0	0
2022	Semifinals	3rd	6	4	2	0
2023	Champions	1st	6	6	0	0
Total	6 Titles	11/13	63	55	8	0

Safari Sevens

Kenya has won the Safari Sevens ten times:

• 1997 versus Cumbria Schoolboys 24–27,
• 2000 Kenya 'A' (Shujaa) won, defeating Bristol University RFC, 26–24
• 2003 versus Emerging Springboks 29–7,
• 2004 versus Emerging Springboks 10–7,
• 2008 versus Zimbabwe 35–12,
• 2009 versus Emerging Springboks 40–19,
• 2010 versus Emerging Springboks 17–12,
• 2014 versus Australia Renegades 40–7,
• 2016 versus Samurai International 38–21
• 2019 versus Springbok Sevens 19–12.

Players

Current squad

The following team was announced as the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens sevens team. ^{[11] [12]}

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Head coach: Damian McGrath

No.	Player	Date of birth (age)
1	Billy Odhiambo	(1993-11-07)7 November 1993 (aged 28)
2	Jeff Oluoch	(1995-04-02)2 April 1995 (aged 27)
3	Anthony Omondi	(1995-03-26)26 March 1995 (aged 27)
4	Herman Humwa	(1995-11-08)8 November 1995 (aged 26)
5	Nelson Oyoo (captain)	(1994-06-26)26 June 1994 (aged 28)
6	Johnstone Olindi	(1999-11-04)4 November 1999 (aged 22)
7	Edmund Anya	(1998-06-15)15 June 1998 (aged 24)
8	Willy Ambaka	(1990-05-14)14 May 1990 (aged 32)
9	Vincent Onyala	(1996-12-10)10 December 1996 (aged 25)
10	Collins Injera	(1986-10-18)18 October 1986 (aged 35)
11	Kevin Wekesa	(2000-08-07)7 August 2000 (aged 22)
12	Samuel Oliech	(1993-12-15)15 December 1993 (aged 28)

Former squads

Kenya team to the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens

Head coach: Benjamin Ayimba

1. Humphrey Kayange
2. Allan Onyango
3. Victor Oduor
4. Ben Nyambu
5. Wilson Opondo
6. Lavin Asego
7. Biko Adema
8. Innocent Simiyu
9. Collins Injera
10. Sidney Ashioya
11. Gibson Weru
12. Horace Otieno

Kenya team to the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens

Coach: Mike Friday

1. Horace Otieno
2. Oscar Ouma Achieng
3. Patrice Agunda
4. Felix Ayange
5. Eden Agero
6. Humphrey Kayange
7. Biko Adema
8. Andrew Amonde (c)
9. Michael Wanjala
10. Lavin Asego
11. Collins Injera
12. Willy Ambaka

Kenya squad for the 2017–18 World Sevens Series

Coach: Innocent Simiyu

Kenya team members 2017–18

Player	Position	Affiliation	Number
			Dubai	Cape Town	Sydney	Hamil­ton	Las Vegas	Van­couver	Hong Kong	Singa­pore	London	Paris
Eden Agero	Forward	SportPesa Quins	7	13	6	7	7	7	7	7	7
Willy Ambaka	Forward	SportPesa Quins	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12
Andrew Amonde	Forward	KCB	–	–	7	8	8	8	8	8	8
Oscar Ayodi	Back	Homeboyz	1	1	–	–	–	–	–	–	1
Herman Humwa	Back	SportPesa Quins	4	4	–	–	–	–	–	13	3
Collins Injera	Back	Mwamba	11	–	–	–	11	11	11	11	11
Augustine Lugonzo	Back	Homeboyz	–	–	13	4	–	–	13	4	4
Ian Minjire	Back	Impala Saracens	–	–	–	–	–	–	4	1	–
Samuel Ngethe	Back		–	11	4	13	13	4	–	–	13
Billy Odhiambo	Back	Strathmore University	–	–	–	–	5	5	5	5	5
Samuel Oliech	Back	Impala Saracens	5	5	9	10	10	10	–	10	–
Jeffery Oluoch	Forward	Homeboyz	8	8	5	6	6	6	6	6	6
Dennis Ombachi	Forward	Nondescripts	6	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Erick Ombasa	Back	Oilers	–	–	–	5	4	13	–	–	2
Oscar Ouma	Forward	Nakuru	–	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	–
Arthur Owira	Back	KCB	–	7	1	1	1	1	1	–	–
Nelson Oyoo	Forward	Nakuru	8	8	7	8	9	9	9	9	9
Daniel Sikuta	Back	Kabras	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	–
Brian Tanga	Forward	Kabras	10	10	11	11	–	–	–	–	10
Frank Wanyama	Forward	SportPesa Quins	3	6	10	–	–	–	–	–	–

Kenya team to the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens

Head coach: Innocent Simiyu

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Union / Club
1	BK	Oscar Ayodi (c)	(1989-09-21)21 September 1989 (aged 28)	Homeboyz
2	BK	Herman Humwa	(1995-11-08)8 November 1995 (aged 22)	Kenya Harlequin
3	BK	Samuel Ng'ethe	(1995-05-15)15 May 1995 (aged 23)	Oilers
4	FW	Brian Tanga	(1995-09-13)13 September 1995 (aged 22)	Kabras Sugar
5	FW	Dennis Ombachi	(1994-12-14)14 December 1994 (aged 23)	Nondescripts
6	FW	Jeffery Oluoch	(1995-04-02)2 April 1995 (aged 23)	Homeboyz
7	BK	Eden Agero	(1990-09-17)17 September 1990 (aged 27)	Kenya Harlequin
8	FW	Andrew Amonde	(1983-12-25)25 December 1983 (aged 34)	KCB
9	FW	Nelson Oyoo	(1994-06-26)26 June 1994 (aged 24)	Nakuru
10	BK	Samuel Oliech	(1993-12-15)15 December 1993 (aged 24)	Impala Saracens
11	BK	Collins Injera	(1986-10-18)18 October 1986 (aged 31)	Mwamba
12	FW	Willy Ambaka	(1990-05-14)14 May 1990 (aged 28)	Kenya Harlequin

^[13]

Player records

The following refers to statistics generated in the World Rugby Sevens Series. Players in bold are still active. Collins Injera was briefly ranked the #1 player in the world in tries scored, until his try-scoring record was surpassed by England's Dan Norton.

Most tries [14] No. Player Tries 1 Collins Injera 279 2 Humphrey Kayange 159 3 Willy Ambaka 123

Most points [15] No. Player Points 1 Collins Injera 1,443 2 Lavin Asego 1,026 3 Humphrey Kayange 799

Most matches [16] No. Player Matches 1 Collins Injera 424 2 Andrew Amonde 358 3 Humphrey Kayange 331

Award winners

The following Kenya Sevens players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2004: ^[17]

World Rugby Men's 7s Player of the Year Year Nominees Winners 2009 Collins Injera — Humphrey Kayange

See also

• Rugby union in Kenya
• Kenya national rugby union team
• Kenya Rugby Union

References

1. "Points: Kenya" . Retrieved 17 December 2017.
2. "Try Stats: Kenya" . Retrieved 17 December 2017.
3. "Kenya Sevens make history" . Retrieved 19 April 2016.
4. "Shujaa finish bottom in Dubai 7s", Daily Nation, 1 December 2018.
5. "SOYA Awards – 2007 winners!". Archived from the original on 13 September 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2008.
6. KBC, 24 January 2009: Jelimo and Wanjiru crowned best sports personalities ^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
7. "Sevens captains ready for the challenge in Dubai". www.world.rugby. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
8. "China and Kenya celebrate Challenger 2024 success in Dubai". www.world.rugby. 14 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
9. "China women and Uruguay men win World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger 2024". www.world.rugby. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
10. "Uruguay, Kenya, Chile and Germany qualify for men's HSBC SVNS Play-Off in Madrid". www.world.rugby. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
11. Collins, Amanga (2 September 2022). "Kenya Sevens squad for 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens". www.pd.co.ke. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
12. Njuguna, William (3 September 2022). "Injera recalled to Shujaa squad ahead of Rugby World Cup Sevens". The Star. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
13. "Simiyu names RWC Sevens squad". Kenya Rugby Union. 12 July 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
14. World Rugby statistics, current as of 15 March 2020
15. World Rugby statistics, current as of 15 March 2020
16. World Rugby statistics, current as of 15 March 2020
17. "Awards Roll of Honour - World Rugby". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 16 March 2024.

External links

• Official website
• WorldRugby profile