Kenya Shujaa head coach Kevin Wambua gives instructions to the Shujaa and Morans/ TEDDY MULEI
Shujaa head coach Kevin Wambua is backing his side to roar to a fourth straight Safari Sevens crown when the annual rugby showpiece lights up Nyayo National Stadium this weekend.
Wambua, bullish, says he “fancies” Shujaa’s chances of maintaining their firm grip on the tournament, a title they have fiercely guarded since 2021.
Last year, Shujaa stamped their dominance at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos, with a commanding 12-0 win over Shogun. The results were a repeat of their 2023 success, where they blanked the same opponents 19-0.
Their 2021 conquest came after a hard-fought 12-5 victory over Germany, while the 2022 edition was shelved due to financial constraints. That hat-trick of recent triumphs echoed Shujaa’s golden run between 2008 and 2010, when they lifted the title three times in succession.
Wambua believes history is ready to repeat itself. “Of course, we want to be on the podium again because there’s good competition within the squad. I fancy our chances once more,” Wambua said.
The tactician added that internal competition within the national setup has sharpened the players’ edge ahead of kickoff. “We’re in a good place. We’ve won the Safari Sevens for the last two years, so for us, it’s all about staying competitive,” he noted.
This year’s tournament has attracted 12 men’s teams, including French Renegades, UK Sevens Select, Shogun, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, KCB, Apache, and ReUnion (French Colony).
The teams will be grouped into three pools of four as the action unfolds over the weekend. Wambua revealed that Shujaa’s preparations have been intense and purposeful, with the boys showing hunger and steady improvement. “The intensity has been high, and the quality of play has gone up. The boys are learning quickly,” he said.
He disclosed that the technical bench began with a 49-man provisional squad, which was trimmed to 33 and will finally be whittled down to the final team for the Safari Sevens.
“It’s been tough because there’s a lot of talent in the group. We wanted to bring in as many young players as possible to expose them to Shujaa’s systems,” he explained.
Wambua further highlighted that their training has focused on refining both attack and defensive frameworks, key to maintaining their trademark physical and fast-paced style. “We’ve done a lot of work on attack and defence structures to help the younger boys adapt,” he said.
The final squad named for the Safari Sevens will also form the core of the 25-man team heading into the new HSBC Sevens Division Two season.
“We’ll use this as a pre-season before the real pre-season,” Wambua said.
