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Kenya are, however, encouraged by what appears to be a favourable Pool in Toulouse.
Kenya Sevens are starring at the prospect of relegation following yet another unconvincing outing in Singapore last weekend.
Shujaa needed a fourth-place finish in the Asian nation which would have given them 15 points to get closer to the cut-off place ahead of the penultimate leg in Toulouse but they could only manage seven which leaves them 12 points behind Uruguay and 11 adrift of Spain.
Uruguay were the biggest beneficiaries as they collected 10 points to move to 11th position, one place and a point ahead of Spain, who beat Kenya 26-10 in the ninth-place final for eight points in Singapore.
That leaves Uruguay on 49 points and Spain on 48, meaning one of them has a good chance of finishing 11th and securing the final automatic safety place, while Kenya in 13th position on 37 points have it all to do in Toulouse.
Heading into the 10th leg in Toulouse, Kenya will need to collect a minimum of 15 points which would take their tally to 52 points while they will hope that Uruguay finishes down in 14th place and Spain manage just three points to leave both on 51.
That will see Kenya finish the leg in 11th position and dislodge Uruguay, therefore, retaining their core status that has stood since 2004.
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14:00 - 09.04.2023
Kenya 7s Shujaa collect seven points in Singapore as relegation remains a reality
Kenya could not secure the much-needed wins to get closer to safety and will need an inspired performance in Toulouse to retain their core status
However, 15 points mean reaching the Cup semi-final and on current form, it is hard to see that happening since Shujaa have so far won just two group games this season, from nine legs.
Kenya are, however, encouraged by what appears to be a favourable Pool in Toulouse where they have series leaders New Zealand as well as closest challengers Uruguay and Canada.
Shujaa lost their opening two group matches narrowly in Singapore, a 26-19 reverse to France, followed by a 21-19 defeat at the hands of the USA with a lack of concentration letting them down.
Cut off the little mistakes and they have every chance of making it to the Cup quarters which will give them the confidence of reaching the last four.
It will also be the second straight meeting with Uruguay who beat them 33-17 last weekend and given what is at stake, they will not need further motivation.
Anything other than that will leave Shujaa to fight it out in the four-team playoff that involves the sides that finish in 12, 13 and 14th position plus the Challenger Series 2023 winners, a round-robin tournament, where only one slot is at stake to join next season’s World Series.
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