•Kenya are currently placed 13th on the log with 37 points following an underwhelming campaign.
• Shujaa have not qualified for the Main Cup quarter-finals in eight tournaments played.
After a one-month break, Shujaa will be seeking to amass as many points as possible in the penultimate leg of the World Seven Series in Toulouse starting today (Friday) at the Stade Ernest Wallon.
Kenya are currently placed 13th on the log with 37 points following an underwhelming campaign. Shujaa have not qualified for the Main Cup quarter-finals in eight tournaments played.
It looks likely Shujaa will have to play in the relegation playoff next week at the London Sevens to preserve their core status alongside Challenger series winners Tonga, Canada, and either Spain or Uruguay
Shujaa can only pray that they reach the Main Cup semi-finals in Toulouse with the hopes that both Uruguay and Spain finish last to enable them to qualify and avoid the relegation play-off.
Kenya will open their campaign against Uruguay at 2:07 pm.
The two sides have met four times this season with the South Americans winning three times. They won 10-7 in Hong Kong in November, 21-19 in Vancouver in March and 33-17 in Singapore in March with Kenya winning once in Hamilton 21-19.
Shujaa will then take on log leaders New Zealand at 7:16 pm. Damian McGrath's charges have yet to beat the All Blacks Sevens outfit, going down 43-0 in Hong Kong in November last year, 31-5 at the Cape Town Sevens in December, 33-0 at the Sydney Sevens and 29-5 at the Hong Kong Sevens
Next for Shujaa will be Canada on Saturday at 1:21 pm with Kenya winning three of the four encounters. Shujaa won the opening encounter 21-10 in Cape Town in December followed by a 21-5 win in Hamilton, New Zealand. The North American bounced back winning a week later in Sydney winning 12-5 but Kenya exacted revenge by winning 28-14 in Singapore
Coach Damian McGrath said they have not given up on their survival and are keen to keep their core status.
“The players and the technical bench know what it means to Kenya and the game. They have shown focus despite the results going against them,” said McGrath, adding that the pool in Toulouse is the most favourable this season.
The 15th-ranked core team based on accumulated series points following the 10th round in Toulouse will be relegated.
The teams ranked 12th, 13th, and 14th at the end of Toulouse will enter a four-team relegation play-off together with the Challenger Series 2023 winners Tonga at the 11th and final round of the series in London.
The relegation play-off will be played in a round-robin format with the top two teams meeting in the final. The winner will become the 12th core team in the 2024 series. McGrath warned they can’t ignore Toulouse and focus on the relegation play-off.