Kenya men's national rugby sevens team, Shujaa, will have an uphill task as they head into the Hamilton Sevens.
The HSBS World Sevens Series makes its return in New Zealand with Shujaa battling to avoid relegation.
When the current season ends, the bottom teams will be at risk of relegation following the new series changes.
Shujaa began the season on a low with the team in a tough group where they need to accumulate good points to keep their survival chances alive.
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Kenya is grouped in pool A alongside Samoa (Cape Town 7s Champions), Fiji, and France.
In their last outing in Cape Town, Shujaa finished 13th having picked up three points.
Damian McGrath’s side still is to register a win in the series in the group stages and will be hoping to better their performance in Hamilton.
At the end of the 2023 season, the 15th-ranked team will be relegated to the 2024 Challenger Series while the 12th to 14th-ranked teams will face off against the Challenger Series 2023 winner for the final position in the 2024 World Series.
McGrath named his squad which saw the return of scrumhalf Brian Tanga and Alvin ‘Buffalo’ Otieno.
Daniel Taabu and Billy Odhiambo were left out of the squad resulting in the calling up of two new players Floyd Wabwire and John Okoth.
Shujaa plays its first match on Friday, January 20, against Samoa at 11:45 pm East African Time (EAT).
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