• Damian McGrath's charges were dropped from the competition after a 12-7 defeat to Canada in the playoffs.
• “Our goal is to prepare Shujaa to be considered a favourite to win the Africa Cup and secure qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics, despite the formidable competition posed by the Blitzboks,” —KRU
Image: /FILE
The Kenya Rugby Union have responded to the fury of Kenyans after Kenya 7s national team, Shujaa, were relegated from the World Rugby 7s Series on Sunday following a defeat to Canada.
Damian McGrath's charges were dropped from the competition after a 12-7 defeat to Canada in the playoffs despite Shujaa beating them 24-19 in the opening match at the London 7s.
The union said the next six weeks will mark the initial steps towards Shujaa reclaiming their position in the 7s series through the tireless work the Sasha Mutai-led team will put in.
In a statement released through the union’s website, the new KRU administration led by Mutai assured Kenyans that they are taking serious action to restore Shujaa’s position in the World Rugby Sevens Series by 2024.
“In the coming days, we will conduct a comprehensive review of the 2022/2023 season and based on the findings and recommendations, the board will make an informed decision and guide on the next steps to realign the team and set it on a path to success,” the statement read.
The union also confirmed that Shujaa will honour the invitation to the New York City Sevens tournament slated for July 15 alongside other top global rugby sevens teams.
For Shujaa to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, they have to beat African giants South Africa Blitzboks and win the Africa Cup scheduled for September 16 and 17 in Zimbabwe. The union said it is ready to back the team to participate and win the tournament.
“Our goal is to prepare Shujaa to be considered a favourite to win the Africa Cup and secure qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics, despite the formidable competition posed by the Blitzboks,” KRU added.
The union plans to have both Shujaa and Morans, the second national sevens team, participate in various Satellite Sevens Rugby tournaments worldwide in order to ensure the two teams are prepared for high-level competition.
The only way Shujaa can secure promotion back to the World Series is by winning the Challenger Series next year and KRU are determined to help the team achieve that milestone.
Additionally, KRU have pleaded with the government and current financial partners for additional funding in order to achieve their ambitions of securing promotion and ensuring the sustainability of Morans, who serves as a feeder programme for Shujaa.
“With the unwavering support of our current and future partners, along with the continued backing of the government, we are confident Shujaa will regain their position in the World Sevens Series in 2024,” the statement concluded.