Mike Friday sympathises with Kenya Sevens over 'grossly unfair' HSBC SVNS decision

Kenya Sevens’ seventh-place finish at the Hong Kong Sevens has sparked debate over the tournament’s playoff structure, with former Shujaa coach Mike Friday leading criticism of what he termed an unfair system.

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Shujaa wrapped up their campaign on a positive note, defeating France 21-7 in the seventh-place playoff on Sunday, 19 April at Kai Tak Sports Park. A top-seven finish was commendable for the Kenyans, who were just fresh from the HSBC SVNS 2.

Kenya was drawn into a challenging Group C, where they faced core top-tier sides Australia and New Zealand, losing both matches before bouncing back with a crucial win over the USA Eagles to qualify for the Cup quarterfinals.

Shujaa land in tough pool ahead of Valladolid SVNS World Championship

In the last eight, Shujaa pushed South Africa to the limit, narrowly falling 26-22 in a tightly contested match decided in the closing moments.

However, it is what followed that has stirred controversy.

Traditionally, teams eliminated at the Cup quarterfinal stage would proceed to fifth-place semifinals, offering them a pathway to compete for positions five through eight.

Under the revised structure introduced by World Rugby, that opportunity has been removed for certain teams, creating what critics say is an uneven playing field.

Friday voiced his frustration on social media, questioning why losing quarterfinalists are denied a chance to compete for improved rankings, despite league points and overall standings being at stake.

“Why do the losing Cup quarter-finalists not get the opportunity to play out to secure their league ranking and standing points? It’s grossly unfair as 1–4 and 9–12 play out for their ranking, but not 5–8. Jobs and programs are on the line,” he posted, expressing sympathy for the Kenyan side.

Shujaa end Hong Kong 7s campaign on a high

The controversy deepened when Kenya, despite registering the narrowest defeat among the quarterfinal losers, was placed in the seventh-place playoff instead of competing for fifth.

Their 26-22 loss to South Africa was closer than the margins recorded by other teams such as Australia and Fiji, yet those two sides were paired in the fifth-place playoff.

Fiji had lost 24-17 to defending champions Argentina, while Australia suffered a 19-5 defeat to Spain. Despite those heavier losses, both teams benefited from topping their respective pools, which, under the current format, guarantees a higher ranking among quarterfinal losers.

This system effectively meant that Kenya, who finished third in their pool but fought their way into the last eight, were disadvantaged despite their strong quarterfinal performance. Instead, they were matched against France, who had lost 19-10 to New Zealand, in the seventh-place playoff.

Meanwhile, teams ranked ninth to twelfth still had a clear pathway to improve their standings through classification matches, further fueling concerns about inconsistency in the structure.

Many fans and analysts believe Shujaa had the momentum and quality to challenge for a fifth-place finish, particularly given their spirited performances across the weekend.

Under the current format, topping the pool carries significant weight. Even in defeat, pool winners are considered the “best losers” and retain access to higher placement playoffs.

For emerging teams like Kenya, this creates a steep disadvantage, as finishing outside the top two in the pool limits their progression opportunities regardless of performance in knockout matches.

Despite the frustration, Shujaa will now shift focus to the remaining legs of the series.

Hong Kong 7s: Kenya Sevens semis quest undone by South Africa's last-gasp try

They are set to compete in back-to-back tournaments in Valladolid from Friday, 29 to Sunday, 31 May, before concluding their campaign in Bordeaux from Friday, 5 to Sunday, 7 June.

The stakes remain high, with the top eight teams at the end of the series earning promotion to the top-tier circuit.