The Kenya Lionesses face a moment of truth as the Africa Cup Sevens Championship gets underway on Saturday at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi.
After playing second fiddle to South Africa for the past few years, head coach Simon Odongo believes it is Kenya’s time to shine and bring the trophy home for only the second time in their history.
Odongo is confident about his team’s chances but insists they will take it one game at a time.
“The ultimate goal is to win the tournament. Long term, we want to secure promotion to the World Sevens Series for the 2026–2027 season,” said the tactician.
The Kenya Harlequin assistant coach noted that playing at home will be a big lift for his side. “Home ground advantage will be key. Most of the time, we rarely play at home in a tournament of this magnitude,” he said.
Odongo added that the technical team has introduced new elements to their play ahead of the championship. “We have worked on some new attacking moves that should give us an edge, especially in the knockout phase on Sunday,” he explained.
The Lionesses open their campaign against Cote d’Ivoire at 12:44 pm. Odongo described them as an unknown quantity. “We’ve been studying footage of their previous performances and taken note of their strengths and weaknesses,” he said.
Kenya will then face Ghana in their final preliminary match of the day at 4:26 pm. “Ghana are a physical side, and the girls are relishing the battle,” he added.
Odongo expects a stiff challenge from defending champions South Africa, as well as Uganda, Madagascar and Tunisia in the two-day event. “It’s going to be a real test. The other teams have improved, and we can’t write anyone off. Sevens rugby is unpredictable — the bounce of the ball or a referee’s call can change everything,” he said.
Pool A features South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mauritius. Pool C includes Uganda, Zambia and Burkina Faso, while Pool D comprises Madagascar, Egypt and Tunisia.
The winner will qualify for the World Sevens Series Division Two next year.
by WILLIAM NJUGUNA
