Shujaa head coach braces for tough season opener in Hong Kong Sevens

Damian McGrath, head coach of the Kenya men’s national rugby 7s side Shujaa, is anticipating a very tough outing at the 2023 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series season-opening outing that will take place in Hong Kong from 4-6 November 2022.

In the pools released on Wednesday, Kenya were drawn against 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens bronze medalists Ireland, tricky fifth-place finishers Argentina and Canada in Pool D where only the top two get the chance of advancing to the main cup quarter-finals.

Shujaa land tricky pool D in season opening Hong Kong Sevens

With the team having finished 12th at the World Cup games that took place in Cape Town, South Africa, the same place they finished in the 2022 Series standings after a largely inconsistent season that left them grappling with relegation fears until England, Wales and Scotland’s decision to merge and form Great Britain gave them a reprieve, McGrath, who takes charge of his first full season, was however hopeful for a good start.

“It is a tough group definitely with Ireland finishing in the top three in the World Cup. Argentina are now rightly regarded as one of the big wheels in World Rugby so those two are going to present a big challenge.

With Canada, I am not sure what their squad will be but I am sure they will be trying to make sure they do not fight relegation as they did last year. I do not think there are easy games left anymore but hopefully we will get a good start for the season,” the coach told Mozzart Sport.

In the other groups, Pool A, arguably the Group of Death, has defending Series Champions Australia, who won their first-ever crown in the 2022 campaign, seeded top of the tournament and will face powerhouse New Zealand, Samoa and hosts Hong Kong who are the invited team the season opener.

Pool B has dethroned champions South Africa, who will be beginning life under the stewardship of new head coach Sandile Ngcobo who replaced Neill Powell, taking on France, Great Britain and Uruguay.

Pool C will feature Olympic and Rugby World Cup champions Fiji taking on USA, Spain, and Japan.

Groups

Pool A: Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Hong Kong

Pool B: South Africa, France, Great Britain, Uruguay

Pool C: Fiji, USA, Spain, Japan

Pool D: Argentina, Ireland, Kenya, Canada