Kenya’s national rugby sevens team, Shujaa, is taking bold steps to regain its spot in the world’s top league after being relegated. 

Head Coach Kevin Wambua has picked a large 48-man provisional squad that combines Olympic veterans with the best players from the recent domestic league. 

This group will not only form the senior Shujaa side but also help launch Kenya’s new U20 sevens development team. 

Their main focus is securing promotion from the HSBC Challenger Series, with the first major test of the team’s readiness coming at the Safari 7s tournament in Nairobi next month.

The selection process for the provisional squad relied heavily on performance in the recently concluded 2025 SportPesa National Sevens Circuit. 

This emphasis on domestic results ensures that only players in peak form earn a call-up. 

Daystar Falcons leads the contribution with eight players, a testament to their strong circuit run, while national champions KCB follow closely with seven, including captain George Ooro and playmaker Samuel Asati.

The squad successfully balances established international experience with explosive new talent. 

Veterans like Vincent Onyala, an Olympian known for his physicality, and Kevin Wekesa will provide crucial leadership. 

They are joined by the circuit’s top performers, such as Victor Mola, who dominated the try-scoring charts, and rising speedster Patrick Odongo from Daystar. 

Rugby Director Paul Odera confirmed this performance-based approach, noting that a call-up is just the first step, as players must still “impress the coach at training… to make the final squad.”

Central to the long-term strategy is the creation of a clear development path for young players. 

The 48-man squad will serve as the pool not only for the main Shujaa side but also for Kenya’s new, first-ever U20 sevens team. 

This initiative aims to close previous gaps in player development and fast-track young stars like Jackson Siketi and Kevin Ochieng into the national setup.

The squad will also feed the Morans, Shujaa’s second-string side. 

The Morans act as a vital testing ground for talent and depth, competing in key regional tournaments like the Africa Men’s Sevens, which Kenya has often dominated. 

By having a large, highly competitive provisional training group, the national program ensures both Shujaa and Morans have the resources to succeed, strengthening Kenya’s hand in continental rugby and future World Series qualifiers.

Shujaa’s primary objective for the 2025-26 season is to earn promotion from the World Rugby HSBC Challenger Series, the global second-tier competition. 

The team’s first major test will be the prestigious Safari 7s invitational tournament, held from October 10 to 12 at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi. 

The Safari 7s, which attracts both international men’s and women’s teams, will be the first opportunity for Coach Wambua to gauge his players’ cohesion and effectiveness in a competitive environment before the Challenger Series begins in December.

The ultimate prize is a return to the elite SVNS circuit, a target Odera remains optimistic about, stating his expectation is for the process to yield a squad “capable of securing Kenya a place in the top division.” 

With a focus on disciplined preparation, strong local talent, and a clear developmental structure, Shujaa aims to recapture the global form that saw them win the Singapore leg of the World Series in 2016.