Rugby Sevens: Kenya upsets Madagascar 15-12 to win the Mauritius tournament
Kenya won the Mauritius Rugby Sevens tournament by defeating Madagascar 15-12 in the final on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at the SPARC International Rugby Stadium in Cascavelle, Mauritius. The event was one of two legs of the 2026 Africa Men's Sevens Series.
A conversion after the final whistle
Madagascar opened the scoring before the Kenyans replied with two tries from Rayvon Ambale and Gabriel Ayimba. The Makis fought back to 12-12 and seemed to be holding onto the title, but a Malagasy foul committed after the final whistle gave the Shujaa one last conversion. Glacious Owino kicked it between the posts, according to Mozzart Sport.
The scenario had a special flavor: in the group stage, Madagascar had handed Kenya a 26-0 thrashing. The Kenyans had otherwise beaten Namibia 34-12 and Reunion 19-0, according to Eastleigh Voice. Madagascar, for its part, reached the final without a single defeat.
South Africa swept in the semi-finals
To reach this final, Kenya knocked out defending champions South Africa with a decisive 15-0 score, again according to Eastleigh Voice. The South Africans finished third in the tournament, reports Rugby Afrique. According to Eastleigh Voice, this victory gives Kenya a record seventh continental title, the previous one dating back to 2023.
An expanding map of African rugby
The podium—Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa—and the presence of Mauritius, Reunion, and Namibia serve as a reminder that continental rugby sevens is no longer just a duel between Pretoria and Nairobi. The Indian Ocean now carries significant weight: Madagascar, driven by a solid public and rugby culture, stood up to the continent's two historical powers over two days.
This Mauritius leg complemented the portion held in Uganda on September 26 and 27, 2026, which offered qualification for the 2027 World Rugby SVNS 3, according to Rugby Afrique. Beyond the rankings, the stakes are the same for all these federations: securing spots on the world circuit, the only gateway to the Olympic Games and the funding that comes with it.
Kenya leaves Mauritius with a title and the confirmation that it remains a benchmark for African rugby sevens, provided it no longer concedes 26-0 scores in the group stage.
This article was written in French with the help of artificial intelligence from the sources cited below, then translated from French automatically. Read the original.
