This archive report was first published on 26 July 2021.
Kenya's Shujaa rugby team kicked off their Tokyo Olympics campaign on a tough note, facing a brutal pool that included top teams like South Africa, USA, and Ireland.
As predicted, the competition was fierce, and Kenya's chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals were slim. The team lost 19-14 to USA in their first match and 14-5 to continental rivals South Africa in the second match.
USA coach Mike Friday described the competition as 'survival for the fittest,' and indeed, it was a battle for the top teams to emerge victorious.
Kenya's Collins Injera had predicted that this group would be tough, and his words were proven true. The team's captain, Andrew Amonde, acknowledged that they had missed opportunities to score tries against both USA and South Africa.
Despite the losses, there were some positives for the Kenyan team, who were making their debut at the Olympics. Jeffery Oluoch was happy to have scored his first try at the Olympics, calling it a 'major boost.' Coach Innocent Simiyu was also impressed with his team's performance, despite their fate not being in their hands.
South Africa's captain, Siviwe Soyizwapi, expressed hope that both African teams could do well in the competition.
