Singapore7s: Shujaa playing times announced

The playing times for Kenya 7s in Singapore have been announced ahead of the world-famous tournament set to take place from April 8-9 at the Singapore National Stadium.

Shujaa will be keen to improve on their performance from the last leg, Hong Kong, where they failed to taste a win and managed only a point. They lost all their pool matches against New Zealand (29-5), Ireland (26-14), and South Africa (26-17). Their final game against hosts Hong Kong in the 13th place playoff ended in a 19-10 loss. They also had suffered a 26-12 defeat in the ninth-place quarterfinals against Samoa.

All pool stage matches will be played on Saturday 8. Shujaa will tackle France at 6.20AM in the opening match. France are currently fourth on the log with 112 points and have already secured their spot at the Olympics as hosts. They are undoubtedly a worthy opponent.

Following this match, Damian Mc Grath’s charges will face the USA at 9.24AM. Former Kenya 7s Coach Mike Friday will be keen to cause upset in this match. USA defeated Shujaa 26-21 in the 13th-place semifinal in Los Angeles to see the visitors exit the tournament. The Kenyans will be keen to roar.

Their last match will be against Uruguay. The last time these two sides shared a pool was in Vancouver 7s where Shujaa was pooled alongside Uruguay, Spain, and Fiji. They lost 21-19 to Uruguay to remain winless in the preliminaries. This time, Shujaa will be seeking to turn things around.

In a recent interview with Mozzart Sport, KRU Chairman Sasha Mutai urged fans to be patient amid the side’s poor performance. The side is placed 13th on the World Series standings and are risking relegation.

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“You don’t expect miracles. A lot has to happen for the team to perform better at the top level. We have to be in the camp for at least a week or two before the final leg. Most likely in France. The environment has to be good for the boys to just focus and put in the work. We will do all we can to ensure they are comfortable and focused. There is also a need for technical help for Kenya 7s. We will do that soon” Mutai revealed.

How relegation will be decided

The 15th-ranked core team based on accumulated series points following the tenth 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 at the eleventh and final round of the Series in London.

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The relegation play-off will be a round-robin format with the top teams then playing a final. The winner will become the 12th core team in the 2024 series, while the other three teams will enter their respective Regional Sevens Championships in order to qualify for the 2024 World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series. The Challenger Series will continue to provide a pathway for teams to qualify for the World Rugby Sevens Series.

Shujaa playing times in Singapore

Saturday 3 April

Shujaa vs France (6.20AM)

Shujaa vs USA (9.24AM)

Shujaa vs Uruguay (1.07PM)