Argentina & Germany Shine as HSBC SVNS 2 debuts in Kenya

The city of Nairobi made history this past weekend, becoming only the second African city after Cape Town to host a leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series. The inaugural Nairobi leg of the HSBC SVNS 2 tournament transformed Nyayo National Stadium.

On the pitch, the stakes were high as teams fought for an early advantage in the three-tournament race toward the HSBC SVNS World Championship. In the men’s category, Germany emerged as the surprise package of the weekend, securing gold with a consistent performance that saw them finish at the top of the table.

In the women’s division, Argentina (Las Yaguaretés) continued their dominant form from the SVNS 3 tier, claiming gold and a valuable 20 league points despite a narrow, dramatic loss to South Africa in their final match.

Both nations now head to the upcoming legs in Montevideo and São Paulo as the teams to beat.

For the home fans, the weekend was a rollercoaster of emotions. The Kenya men’s national team, Shujaa, entered Sunday with a flawless record, including a thrilling golden-point victory over Germany on Day One. However, their 27-match winning streak, a record stretching back to 2021, was finally snapped by a clinical USA Eagles side.

The Americans utilized a tactical masterclass to silence the capacity crowd, securing a 21-5 victory. Despite late-game heroics from captain George Ooro, who was later named the Men’s Player of the Tournament, Shujaa had to settle for a third-place finish on home soil. Meanwhile, the Kenya Lionesses faced a tougher outing, finishing fifth overall after a hard-fought battle against Spain.

Off the pitch, the Nairobi experience lived up to its global reputation. Powered by Tusker, the tournament’s entertainment partner, the stadium remained a hub of energy even when the skies opened up. The Tusker Nexters stage featured a curated lineup of Kenya’s finest talent, bridging the gap between sports and lifestyle.

On Saturday, hip-hop heavyweight Khaligraph Jones headlined the evening, drawing massive cheers from fans who refused to let the rain dampen their spirits. Sunday kept the momentum alive with the acoustic-fused rhythms of Vijana Baru Baru, whose performance added a festive, “Nairobi-cool” identity to the international event.

The Nairobi event serves as the first stop of the newly restructured HSBC SVNS 2, the bridge between regional qualifiers and the elite World Series. This tier features six men’s and six women’s teams competing across three global stops (Nairobi, Montevideo, and São Paulo).

The ultimate goal for these teams is to finish in the top four of the overall standings. Those top-four finishers will earn the right to compete in the Winner-Takes-All World Championship series later this year in Hong Kong, Valladolid, and Bordeaux, where they will face the bottom four teams from the elite Division 1 for a chance at promotion to the top flight for the 2027 season.

2026 HSBC SVNS 2 Schedule