Kenya Sevens' team captain, Samuel Asati/HANDOUT Kenya Sevens men’s national team captain, Samuel Asati, is bullish that this weekend’s Safari Sevens will provide the perfect springboard as Shujaa gear up to reclaim their place among the world’s rugby elite.
The Safari Sevens, which kicks off on Friday, comes at a critical time for Kenya, who are bracing for life in Division Two of the HSBC Sevens 2026 season following relegation under World Rugby’s new three-tier structure.
The revamped format has trimmed the number of core teams from 12 to just eight per gender. Shujaa narrowly missed the cut in the 2025 campaign, finishing ninth overall with 36 points, just outside the coveted top-eight bracket.
Kenya’s season 2025 was a rollercoaster, recording just three points in Dubai, eight in Cape Town, three in Perth, one in Vancouver, three in Hong Kong and a strong finish with a win and 18 points in Singapore.
Their promotion–relegation playoffs in Los Angeles proved nervy, with mixed results, before a decisive 24-5 victory over Canada sealed their slot for the 2026 season. The 2026 HSBC circuit kicks off on November 29-30 in Dubai before heading for Cape Town on December 6-7.
The Safari Sevens, Asati said, is where the journey back to the top begins. “This tournament is our launch pad to sharpen ourselves ahead of the Division Two championship,” Asati said.
Shujaa will not have it easy at the Safari Sevens. Teams which have been confirmed for the Safari Sevens include French Renegades, UK Sevens Select, Shogun, Shujaa and neighbours Uganda.
Other top teams include Zambia, Zimbabwe, KCB, Morans, Apache and ReUnion (French Colony). Shujaa, however, arrive as the defending champions.
At the 2024 edition held at the Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos, they edged out Shogun 12-0. Asati is confident that the title defence will fuel their bigger ambition. The skipper insists the mission is crystal clear in their 2026 HSBC campaign: dominate Division Two and claw back into the top tier.
“Our targets are to qualify for Division One, and that means nothing short of dominance in Division Two,” the skipper declared.
He reiterated the importance of finishing well within the top four. “To make that happen, we must push for the top four spots."
The skipper noted that the whole team is putting in the work in training. "That will only come through relentless hard work, and the whole team is putting in the effort.”
He hailed the fresh faces in the squad, noting their hunger is already unsettling the veterans. “The new guys were selected on merit, and each brings an X-factor."
"They have to showcase whatever they have so that they can remain in the larger squad," he stated. For Asati, that blend is exactly what Kenya needs, a competitive squad ready to make Safari Sevens their proving ground and the stepping stone back to the world stage.
"The new guys are really pushing the seniors to the core, and that is good to build the competitive edge."
