Kenya Lionesses head coach revels after beating South Africa in their backyard
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Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 10.03.25. | 15:09
These victories served as redemption for Kenya, who had previously fallen short against the South Africans in the Africa 7s Championship
The Kenya Lionesses cemented their place as a force to be reckoned with in women's rugby after clinching back-to-back legs of the HSBC Challenger Series in South Africa.
However, beyond the successes, their victories over age-old rivals South Africa made the triumph even sweeter.
The Lionesses thrashed the Lady Boks 17-0 in the final at Athlone Stadium on Saturday night to secure their second consecutive leg victory and reinforce their dominance.
This followed a hard-fought 19-15 win over the same opponents in the semifinals of the first leg of the series just a week earlier.
These victories served as redemption for Kenya, who had previously fallen short against the South Africans in the Africa 7s Championship.
In 2023, South Africa denied them a direct ticket to the Paris Olympics with a 12-7 win, and in 2024, the Lady Boks again triumphed 19-10 in Accra, Ghana.
However, the Lionesses have now turned the tide, handing their rivals two painful defeats on home soil.
With these back-to-back wins, Kenya now leads the Challenger Series standings with 40 points heading into the third leg in Krakow, Poland.
Reflecting on the performance, head coach Dennis Mwanja expressed pride in the girls' performance, describing it as 'poetic justice' after past heartbreaks.
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"We have a history with South Africa, losing to them in Tunisia and Ghana. These two weekends have been historical, erasing those two losses, and there is no better place to do it than in their backyard," Mwanja said.
He, however, gave credit to Colombia and Uganda, noting that they brought in the fight.
"We had a target on our backs. Playing against Uganda was tough, and Colombia were smarter, physical, and took their chances. The girls were a little shaken, but scoring that try was all that mattered. A win is a win, even if it is an ugly win," he added.
In the final against South Africa, Mwanja encouraged the team to embrace the moment and play with freedom.
"It was a game of expressing ourselves, so I told the girls to have fun and give it all on the field," the eloquent tactician offered.
While celebrating the historic victories, Mwanja remains focused on the bigger picture, with the third leg in Poland looming.
"We will savour the moment, take a short break, and then get back to the anthem—playing and training," he noted.
The ladies have now secured their place in the third round in Krakow, slated for Friday, 11 to Saturday, 12 April in Krakow, Poland.
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