Kenya Lionesses captain on the brink of history in India
Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 23.06.26. | 14:53
The appointment places her among a select group of former Olympians entrusted with mentoring and inspiring young athletes ahead of the Youth Olympic Games
Kenya Lionesses captain Sheila Chajira is on the cusp of adding another milestone to her illustrious rugby career after helping Chennai Bulls reach the inaugural women’s Rugby Premier League (RPL) final in India.
Chajira and the Chennai Bulls will face Delhi Redz in the championship match on Tuesday, 23 June, at the Gachibowli Stadium, with kick-off set for 5:00 pm East Africa Time (EAT).
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The 2026 season has been a landmark one for the Rugby Premier League, with the introduction of a women's competition for the first time.
That development has presented Chajira with an opportunity to etch her name into history as one of the first players to compete for the title.
The 32-year-old heads into the final with a glittering résumé that extends far beyond club rugby.
A stalwart of Kenyan rugby for more than a decade, Chajira recently earned global recognition after being appointed an Athlete Role Model for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
The appointment places her among a select group of former Olympians entrusted with mentoring and inspiring young athletes ahead of the Youth Olympic Games.
It is a fitting honor for a player whose leadership and resilience have defined her career, having represented Kenya at both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
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Chajira's versatility has also been central to her success. Equally comfortable in both sevens and fifteens rugby, she has featured as a loose forward and centre in the 15-a-side game, underlining her value to the national team over the years.
Chennai Bulls have emerged as one of the standout teams in the competition under the leadership of captain Chantelle Miell.
The side topped the standings after five league matches to secure an automatic place in the final.
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Speaking after sealing their spot in the title clash, Miell expressed confidence in her team's preparations.
"Super excited for the finals. Last night's game was super close, but getting across the line in the final play is a great tribute to the girls and how hard they have worked in the last few weeks. Happy to be the first team that has secured its spot in the finals. The team is recuperated, refreshed, and all set to come back and hopefully win the finals tomorrow," Miell said.
Teammate Amandeep Kaur echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the squad's determination to become the competition's first champions.
"Extremely happy to have made the finals, and the whole squad is now raring to play the finals. We are focused on the end goal, which has always been to become the inaugural champions of the women's edition of the Rugby Premier League," she said.
Their route to the final has been impressive. Chennai Bulls recorded draws against Delhi Redz and Mumbai Dreamers during the league phase, while their only defeat came against Kolkata Banga Tigers.
They then responded emphatically with a three-match winning streak, defeating Delhi Redz, Kolkata Banga Tigers, and Mumbai Dreamers to build momentum heading into the final.
While Chajira's Chennai Bulls have enjoyed a dominant campaign, the same cannot be said for the Kenyan contingent at Delhi Redz. Kenya Sevens stars: Samuel Asati, John Okoth, Nygel Amaitsa and Patrick Odongo have endured a difficult tournament and sit at the bottom of the log with five points.
Kevin Wekesa’s Hyderabad Heroes are second with 15 points, just a point shy of log leaders Mumbai Dreamers.