NAIROBI, Kenya, May 25 – A solid defence in the second half saw Shujaa defy all odds to beat Wales, the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens champions to bag the Bowl as the Emirates Airline London Sevens ended at Twickenham.
Shujaa now have 60 points, just eight adrift from fifth-placed Argentina. Collins Injera, the H2O Mwamba RFC winger opened the scores for Shujaa after Biko Adema punched through the Welsh defence. Adema missed the conversion.
Victor Sudi was tackled short of the line but Shujaa captain Humphrey Kayange made a powerful run through the Welsh team to score under the posts. Adema converted for a 12-0 lead at half time.
Shujaa then defended brilliantly the slim lead although Will Harries scored a converted try for Wales.
In the semi finals, Shujaa narrowly beat Samoa 17-10 to reach the Bowl final and set up a date with Wales.
Sudi and Adema scored a try each in the first half. Adema added one conversion as Shujaa raced to a 12-0 lead at half time over Samoa who won in London last year. Afloa’e Malava pulled one back for Samoa and Rupena Levasa a second. Kayange barged over for Shujaa’s third try.
In the Bowl semi-final, Shujaa narrowly beat Canada 12-7. Injera scored both tries and Adema added one conversion. The two tries saw the H2O Mwamba RFC winger reach 35 tries achieving his promise of scoring five tries in London. Injera scored six tries in London to stretch his total tally for the season to 36.
Coach Benjamin Ayimba remained optimistic. “Two points is better than nothing, we just have to focus on the next tournament in Edinburgh,” he added. The coach explained Shujaa did everything to qualify for the Cup. “It is not easy when you have to depend on the other results to qualify. We needed to win two matches which we did but when Scotland beat Fiji, it was a case of arithmetic which did not favour us,” the coach explained.
Shujaa had an early scare when reliable kicker Lavin Asego hobbled out in the match against Scotland.
In Edinburgh, Kenya is in the same Pool with England, Scotland and Canada. “We have played all these teams and we have to go back to the drawing board and plan. I am sure Shujaa can bounce back against all odds,” he promised.
