HSBC SVNS Series: Format Changes and Tony Omondi Returns to Shujaa
The HSBC SVNS Series is set to take place in South Africa, with Cape Town's DHL Stadium hosting a new competition structure. The 12 participating teams will be split into four pools, rather than the traditional three, with pool winners securing direct qualification to the semi-finals.
The draw for the second leg of the SVNS Series, featuring 24 teams across the women's and men's competitions, has been finalized. The tournament is scheduled to take place on December 7th and 8th.
Tony Omondi Returns
Kenya Shujaa returns to the field all fired up, having narrowly lost to France last time out. While their efforts in Dubai were reasonable indications of what they could do, their current ranking of 10th with 3 points goes to show how much work they have to do.
Former Kenya Sevens co-captain Tony Omondi's return could go a long way in lifting Shujaa’s prospects. Omondi, who takes over from the injured Chrisant Ojwang, will be a welcome addition. The player featured in Dubai for Safari Sevens finalist, Shogun, helping the team win the invitational trophy.
His role will be more critical in keeping it together in high-pressure moments as Kenya tries to bounce back from the performance in Dubai. The former captain will instill the necessary stability needed in both attack and defence.
However, Chrisant Ojwang who has been an enforcer of Shujaa's success in recent times, will also be missed.
A Challenging Test for Shujaa
The Cape Town Sevens leg will be a chance for Shujaa to learn and build from Dubai. They find themselves in the HSBC SVNS Pool B that has Spain, Australia, Kenya.
In the defeat to Australia last week, the team showed where they falter, such as on defence and execution at critical moments. Shujaa's defensive lapses and offensive mistakes provided Australia with opportunities to score additional points, leading to a more decisive defeat.
Their focus in Cape Town will be to eliminate these errors and make their defense more organized. To keep the score line competitive, Kenya must be disciplined and focused.
Indeed, beating Australia in South Africa will be a real morale boost for a team that has just returned to the World series.
Spain, ranked 2nd, is one of the teams that has come as a trojan horse in the recent series of sevens. Given that their style is very disciplined and tactical approach, they have been a nuisance to most teams.
The Kenya 7s team may not clearly know what to expect from the Spanish side. Kenya may need to rely on their energy and physicality in order to cause Spain trouble.
Key Shujaa Players
The performance of Kenya 7s team will hinge on a few key factors. Leadership is one, with Tony Omondi, George Ooro, and Samuel Asati ensuring that the team is kept together and the strategies are implemented well.
Secondly, playing the game at that tempo and controlling the ball at critical moments will be vital.
Dennis Abukuse will be at the forefront of tightening the defense and helping the team improve its physicality, which was displayed in Dubai. Abukuse's strength will be necessary if the team can limit the impact of teams like Australia.
Patrick Odongo's flair and speed will be necessary in the attack. The player has been one of the standout players for the side, and his ability to rip through the defense and break on the counterattacks to score points will be crucial in that regard.
Speed stars have always been critical for Kenya 7s success. They use their speed to break away and catch teams off guard, especially when it comes to breaking away from tight situations, and they use counterattacks to their benefit.
Shujaa's showing in Cape Town will be a telling moment regarding how much impact they will have on the 2024/2025 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
Feature Image Credit: Kenya 7s
