Key Day 1 Results for Kenya:

• Men: Kenya 38-7 Germany | Kenya 12-14 Belgium | Kenya 40-0 Canada
• Women: Kenya 12-19 Argentina | Kenya 14-5 South Africa | Kenya 24-17 Spain

Kenya’s dominance in the HSBC SVNS 2 Series reached a new milestone on Saturday as the national men’s rugby sevens team, Shujaa, officially punched their ticket to the season-ending World Championship Series.

On a high-stakes opening day in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Shujaa became the third men’s team to guarantee their spot in the grand finale, while their counterparts, the Lionesses, maintained a slim but crucial lead in the race for the final women’s qualification slot.

Shujaa Dominate Despite Belgian Hiccup

Entering the final leg of the SVNS 2 Series ranked third, Shujaa knew that a strong start in Brazil would end any mathematical doubts about their qualification. They opened their account in clinical fashion, dismantling Germany 38-7.

The afternoon saw a minor speed bump when Shujaa suffered a narrow 14-12 loss to a resurgent Belgium—a team they had comfortably beaten in Nairobi and Montevideo. However, the Kevin Wambua-led side bounced back with a statement 40-0 victory over Canada to seal their qualification. Co-captain Vincent Onyala was in peak form, crossing the whitewash twice, while Denis Abukuse also got on the scoresheet to send the Kenyan fans in the stands into a frenzy.

While Kenya, Uruguay, and Germany have now secured their places, the final men’s spot remains a dogfight between Belgium and Uruguay, with the Belgians breathing down the South Americans’ necks after a perfect three-from-three day.

Lionesses Hold Their Nerve in ‘Group of Death’

The race for the final women’s ticket is proving to be the story of the tournament. The Kenya Lionesses ended Day 1 sitting at the top of the table, tied with Spain, as they fight to secure the one remaining vacant slot for the World Championships.

The Kenyan women showed immense character, recovering from an early 19-12 loss against Argentina to secure a vital 14-5 win over rivals South Africa. Legendary speedster Janet ‘Hummingbird’ Okelo and Freshia Oduor provided the magic needed to keep the South Africans at bay.

The Lionesses then turned on the style against Spain, with Okelo scoring at the end of both halves to secure a 24-17 win.

The Stakes for Day 2

The arithmetic for the Lionesses is simple but daunting: they must stay ahead of a surging Brazil side playing on home soil. The hosts, backed by a raucous home crowd, upset China and Argentina on Day 1 to keep their dreams alive.

As it stands, Kenya holds the advantage, but the final match of the tournament—a showdown between Kenya and Brazil—is shaping up to be a winner-takes-all battle for the final ticket to the World Championship Series.

For Kenyan rugby fans and stakeholders, the prospect of having both the men’s and women’s teams competing on the global SVNS stage represents a massive commercial and technical boost for the sport locally.