Kenya Rugby Sevens Team Goes Unbeaten on Opening Day of Nairobi Tournament

2026-02-14 community

Nairobi, 14 February 2026
Kenya’s Shujaa delivered a commanding performance at the inaugural HSBC SVNS 2 tournament, thrilling home supporters with three victories on day one. Patrick Odongo Okong’o emerged as the star, scoring a crucial first-half double in Kenya’s 29-12 victory over Canada at Nyayo National Stadium. The team’s perfect record continued with dominant wins against Belgium (33-0) and a dramatic golden point victory over Germany (15-10), with Festus Shiasi Safari scoring the decisive try. Kenya now sits atop the standings alongside USA and Argentina, setting up a highly anticipated showdown with the Americans on Sunday evening at 17:02.

Electric Atmosphere at Nyayo Stadium

The packed crowd at Nyayo National Stadium created an electric atmosphere as Kenya’s rugby sevens team showcased their prowess on home soil [1]. The inaugural HSBC SVNS 2 tournament brought international rugby sevens action to Kenya’s capital, providing local fans with a thrilling spectacle of fast-paced rugby [1]. The tournament format features a five-game round robin competition, with total points tallied across three stops in Nairobi, Montevideo (21-22 March 2026), and São Paulo (28-29 March 2026) [6]. The top four teams will advance to the HSBC SVNS World Championship, which begins in Hong Kong on 17-19 April 2026 [6].

Canada Struggles in Tournament Debut

Canada’s men’s sevens team faced a challenging opening day, concluding their first day of competition with three consecutive defeats [6]. The team suffered losses to Kenya 17, Germany 9, and the USA, with Morgan Di Nardo, Kal Sager, and Lockie Kratz providing Canada’s scoring highlights against Kenya [6]. Two players, Reece Thompson and Demetri Patterson, made their international sevens debuts during the tournament [6]. Canada’s struggles continued throughout the day as they failed to secure any victories in their three matches [6].

Tournament Leaders Emerge

Argentina’s women’s team also delivered outstanding performances, securing three wins from three matches on 14 February 2026 [1]. The USA maintained their unbeaten record with impressive victories, including a dominant 40-0 win over Belgium and a commanding 41-7 victory over Canada [1]. Lucas Lacamp emerged as a key performer for the USA, scoring four tries against Canada, while Pita Vi contributed two tries in the victory over Belgium [1]. Germany also showed strong form, defeating both Uruguay 19-14 and Canada 26-17, with Felix Hufnagel and Niklas Koch each scoring twice in their respective matches [1].

Sunday Showdown Awaits

The tournament reaches its climax on Sunday, 15 February 2026, with Kenya scheduled to face Uruguay at 12:50 and the USA at 17:02 [8]. This final match between Kenya and the USA will determine the tournament winner, as both teams remain unbeaten after day one [1]. Canada will seek redemption in their remaining fixtures against Belgium at 04:06 ET and Uruguay at 08:40 ET on Sunday [6]. The competition will be available for viewing on RugbyPass TV, ensuring rugby sevens fans worldwide can witness the conclusion of this inaugural HSBC SVNS 2 tournament in Nairobi [1].

Bronnen

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