Toulouse 7s: Kenya Sevens downed by fellow relegation candidates Uruguay

RUGBY Toulouse 7s: Kenya Sevens downed by fellow relegation candidates Uruguay

Imran Otieno • 14:47 - 12.05.2023

Shujaa are facing a serious relegation threat in the series.

Kenya 7s posted an abysmal start to the Toulouse 7s after falling 19-5 to fellow relegation candidates Uruguay in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

The defeat leaves Shujaa staring down the barrel of relegation with the series structured so that at the end of the penultimate event in Toulouse, the 15th-ranked team will be automatically relegated to the 2024 Challenger Series.

The 12th to 14th-ranked teams will face off against the Challenger Series 2023 winner for the final position in the 2024 World Series with Kenya sitting at a disappointing 13th.

Uruguay posted a blistering start to the game with their patience with ball at hand resulting in the first try of the game courtesy of Baltazar Amaya who touched down on the left channel.

Shujaa had cold feet in the first half as they could not just get going with Uruguay bagging their second try through that left flank again with Mateo Vinals this time touching down as Guillermo Lijtenstein added the extras.

Uruguay picked up from where they left off in the second half as they put the game beyond Kenya when Bautista Basso spotted a gap through the middle to land a try with Lijtenstein adding the extras.

Shujaa salvaged some pride as Strathmore Leos ace George ‘Japolo’ Ooro went on a blistering run to register his 10th try in his debut season but the conversion was missed.

Uruguay held on for the victory to boost their survival hopes as they started the Toulouse 7s a point above the relegation places.