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.

Kenya
UnionKenya Rugby Union
Emblem(s)The African lion
Coach(es)Kevin Wambu
Captain(s)Vincent Onyala
Most capsCollins Injera (79)
Top scorerCollins Injera (1,443)[1]
Most triesCollins Injera (279)[2]
Team kit
World Cup Sevens
Appearances6 (First in 2001)
Best result3rd 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

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

Rugby World Cup Sevens

World Cup record
Tournament Round Position Played Won Lost Drew Most tries
Scotland 1993 Did not qualify
Hong Kong 1997
Argentina 2001 Bowl Semifinals =19th 7 1 6 0
Hong Kong 2005 Bowl Semifinals =19th 7 3 4 0 Lucas Onyango (6)
United Arab Emirates 2009 Semifinals =3rd 5 3 2 0 Collins Injera (5)
Russia 2013 Semifinals 4th 6 4 2 0 Humphrey Kayange (6)
United States 2018 Challenge quarterfinals 16th 5 1 4 0 Jeffrey Oluoch (4)
South Africa 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
Malaysia 1998 Bowl Quarterfinals 13th 5 0 5 0
England 2002 Bowl Semifinals 11th 5 2 3 0
Australia 2006 Bowl Champions 9th 6 4 2 0
India 2010 Plate Semifinals 7th 5 3 2 0
Scotland 2014 Plate Semifinals 7th 5 2 3 0
Australia 2018 Placement round 8th 5 2 3 0
England 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
Zimbabwe 2000 Finals 2nd 7 5 2 0
Zambia 2004 Champions 1st 5 5 0 0
Tunisia 2008 Champions 1st 5 5 0 0
Morocco 2012 Did Not Compete
Kenya 2013 Champions 1st 6 6 0 0
Zimbabwe 2014 Finals 2nd 7 5 2 0
South Africa 2015 Champions 1st 6 6 0 0
Kenya 2016 Semifinals 3rd 4 3 1 0
Uganda 2017 Did Not Compete
Tunisia 2018 Finals 2nd 5 4 1 0
South Africa 2019 Champions 1st 6 6 0 0
Uganda 2022 Semifinals 3rd 6 4 2 0
Zimbabwe 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:

Players

Current squad

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

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: England 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.

Award winners

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

See also

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.