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. Kenya has also been successful in the Rugby World Cup Sevens, reaching the semifinals in 2009 and again in 2013.

The Kenya Sevens team is sometimes referred to by the Kenyan and international press as Shujaa,"Shujaa finish bottom in Dubai 7s", Daily Nation, 1 December 2018. 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,KBC, 24 January 2009: Jelimo and Wanjiru crowned best sports personalities 2013, and 2016.

Kenya won the first round of the 2024 World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series in Dubai. They were runners-up in the overall series and qualified for the SVNS promotion and relegation play-off competition at the 2024 Spain Sevens.

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

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 recordSeasonPosition Most tries Most points1999–0020th 2000–0123rd 2001–0223rd 2002–0310th Dennis Mwanja (6) Oscar Osir (79) 2003–0411th Oscar Osir (28) Oscar Osir (158)2004–0510th Allan Makaka (17) Allan Makaka (87)2005–069th Sidney Ashioya (18) Lavin Asego (163) 2006–0711th Innocent Simiyu (19) Innocent Simiyu (115)2007–087th Collins Injera (18) Collins Injera (92)2008–096th Collins Injera (42) Collins Injera (210)2009–108th Humphrey Kayange (33) Lavin Asego (173)2010–119th Humphrey Kayange (31) Humphrey Kayange (157)2011–1212th Willy Ambaka (16) Lavin Asego (81)2012–135thWilly Ambaka (24) Willy Ambaka (120)2013–147th Collins Injera (30) Collins Injera (166)2014–1513th 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 recordYearRoundPosition Qualifying 2016Placement round11th5140 Won the 2015 Africa Cup Sevens 2020Placement round9th5230 Won the 2019 Africa Men's Sevens 2024Placement round9th5230 Won the 2023 Africa Men's SevensTotalPlacement round3/3155100

Olympic Games History2016Pool stage 7 – 31 LossPool stage 5 – 28 LossPool stage 7 – 31 Loss9–12th place semifinal 12 – 14 Loss Eleventh place playoff 24 – 0 Win2020Pool stage 14 – 19 LossPool stage 5 – 14 LossPool stage 7 – 12 Loss9–12th place semifinal 21 – 7 Win Ninth place playoff 22 – 0 Win2024Pool stage 12 – 31 LossPool stage 7 – 21 LossPool stage 0 – 26 Loss9–12th place semifinal 19 – 14 Win Ninth place playoff 10 – 5 Win

Rugby World Cup Sevens World Cup recordTournamentRoundPosition Most tries 1993Did not qualify 1997 2001Bowl Semifinals=19th 7 1 6 0 2005Bowl Semifinals=19th 7 3 4 0 Lucas Onyango (6) 2009Semifinals =3rd 5 3 2 0 Collins Injera (5) 2013Semifinals4th 6 4 2 0 Humphrey Kayange (6) 2018 Challenge quarterfinals 16th 5 1 4 0 Jeffrey Oluoch (4) 202211th Place Final12th 4 1 3 0 Vincent Onyala (4)Total0 Titles6/83413210 C. Injera & H. Kayange (9)

Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth recordYearRoundPosition 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 2022Placement round=7th4220Total0 Titles7/73515200

Africa Men's Sevens Africa Men's Sevens recordYearRoundPosition 2000Finals 2nd 7 5 2 0 2004Champions1st 5 5 0 0 2008Champions1st 5 5 0 0 2012 Did Not Compete 2013Champions1st 6 6 0 0 2014Finals 2nd 7 5 2 0 2015Champions1st 6 6 0 0 2016Semifinals 3rd 4 3 1 0 2017 Did Not Compete 2018Finals 2nd 5 4 1 0 2019Champions1st 6 6 0 0 2022Semifinals3rd 6 4 2 0 2023Champions1st 6 6 0 0Total6 Titles11/13635580

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

KAISSO U18 Team No. Player Position School 1 Liam Copeland Loosehead Prop Riara University 2 Yonas Anderson Loosehead Prop International School of Kenya 3 Bryson Njoroge Loosehead Prop Strathmore School 4 Josiah Webster Hooker International School of Kenya 5 Sheriff Sesay Hooker Braeside Garden Estate 6 Spencer Finley Tighthead Prop Riara University 7 Aaron Thomas Tighthead Prop Hillcrest International Schools 8 Shawn Mathenge Lock Strathmore School 9 Louis Kithomi Lock Strathmore School10 Adrian Madara Lock Oshwal SNR High11 Rohan Neel Shah Scrum Half International School of Kenya12 Andrew Kimani Scrum Half Strathmore School13 Joshua Lamax Fly Half Peponi School14 Kakai Simuyi Fly Half Strathmore School15 Mostaff Toinatswa Blind Wing St. Christopher's16 Mark Mitsanze Blind Wing Strathmore School17 Andrew Wachira Open Wing International School of Kenya

KAISSO U16 Team No. Player Position School 1 Mugita Essendi Loosehead Prop Peponi School 2 Adam Kipchumba Loosehead Prop St. Andrew's Turi 3 Luca Hoyer Loosehead Prop Braeburn Garden Estate 4 Jayden Ceruiyot Loosehead Prop St. Andrew's Turi 5 Reagan Peter Kiplimo Hooker Peponi School 6 Sean Naan Hooker Hillcrest International Schools 7 Wayne Njoroge Tighthead Prop Peponi School 8 Jonathan Njuguna Tighthead Prop Hillcrest School 9 Murad Dadashev Tighthead Prop International School of Kenya10 Jewel MJ Kirabira (Vice Captain) Scrumhalf Braeburn School11 Nathan Vanswegen Fly Half Peponi School12 Samuel Sesay Fly Half Braeburn School13 Arthur Bailey (Captain) Fly Half International School of Kenya14 Tegwende Soubeiga Winger St. Andrew's Turi15 Danvas Mwangi Centre Dawamu School16 Jesee Otieno Winger Braeburn School17 Matthew Bailey Winger Hillcrest International School18 Sotei Lopokoiyot Winger St. Andrew's Turi19 Okumu Caesar Center Strathmore School20 Felix Braun Centre International School of Kenya21 Teshale Waire Centre Peponi School

Former squads

Head coach: Benjamin Ayimba Humphrey Kayange Allan Onyango Victor Oduor Ben Nyambu Wilson Opondo Lavin Asego Biko Adema Innocent Simiyu Collins Injera Sidney Ashioya Gibson Weru Horace Otieno

Coach: Mike Friday Horace Otieno Oscar Ouma Achieng Patrice Agunda Felix Ayange Eden Agero Humphrey Kayange Biko Adema Andrew Amonde (c) Michael Wanjala Lavin Asego Collins Injera Willy Ambaka

Coach: Innocent Simiyu

+ team members 2017–18PlayerPositionAffiliationNumber Dubai Cape Town Sydney Hamilton LasVegas Vancouver Hong Kong Singapore London Paris  ForwardSportPesa Quins7136777777ForwardSportPesa Quins121212121212121212ForwardKCB––7888888BackHomeboyz1 1 ––––––1BackSportPesa Quins44–––––133BackMwamba11–––1111111111BackHomeboyz––134––1344BackImpala Saracens––––––41–Back–11413134––13Back––––55555BackImpala Saracens559101010–10–ForwardHomeboyz885666666ForwardNondescripts6––––––––BackOilers–––5413––2ForwardNakuru–33 3 3 3 3 3 –BackKCB–711111––ForwardNakuru887899999BackKabras22222222–ForwardKabras10101111––––10ForwardSportPesa Quins3610––––––

Head coach: Innocent Simiyu

PlayerDate of birth (age)Union / Club 1 BK (c) Homeboyz 2 BK Kenya Harlequin 3 BK Oilers 4 FW Kabras Sugar 5 FW Nondescripts 6 FW Homeboyz 7 BK Kenya Harlequin 8 FW KCB 9 FW Nakuru 10 BK Impala Saracens 11 BK Mwamba 12 FW Kenya Harlequin

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 triesWorld Rugby statistics, current as of 15 March 2020 No. Player Tries 1 Collins Injera 279 2 Humphrey Kayange 159 3 Willy Ambaka 123

+ Most pointsWorld Rugby statistics, current as of 15 March 2020 No. Player Points 1 Collins Injera 1,443 2 Lavin Asego 1,026 3 Humphrey Kayange 799

+ Most matchesWorld Rugby statistics, current as of 15 March 2020 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:

+ 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

External links Official website WorldRugby profile