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Why talented Grace Adhiambo will miss out on remaining HSBC SVNS 2 legs
Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 17.03.26. | 09:41
The player is marking her 11th year with the Lionesses after earning her first call-up in 2015, a moment that validated years of dedication to the sport
Kenya Lionesses will have to navigate the remaining legs of the HSBC SVNS 2 series without one of their most experienced players, Grace Adhiambo, after the influential playmaker was ruled out due to club commitments in France.
Adhiambo, who plays professionally for Racing 92, is currently with the French side as they approach the decisive phase of their season, making her unavailable for the upcoming assignments for the Lionesses.
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Lionesses head coach Simon Odongo confirmed that the dependable player will miss the crucial legs in Uruguay and Brazil because her club requires her services during this important stretch.
“Grace misses out because of club commitments. Remember, she is a professional at Racing 92, so she is busy, and they are at the tail end of the season, and they need her more, so she misses out sadly on this event,” Odongo said.
Her absence is a significant blow for the Lionesses, who are looking to improve their position in the standings as the series heads into its final stages.
Adhiambo has been a cornerstone of the national side for more than a decade.
The player is marking her 11th year with the Lionesses after earning her first call-up in 2015, a moment that validated years of dedication to the sport.
Over the years, she has developed into one of Kenya’s most reliable performers, bringing valuable international experience to the squad.
Her career has also seen her feature for Japanese club Nagato Blue Angels, further broadening her exposure on the global stage.
Among her major career milestones are representing Kenya at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, featuring in the WXV3 tournament, competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics qualifiers, and participating in multiple Challenger Series events.
Adhiambo’s impact was particularly evident during the 2025 Challenger Series, where she played a crucial role in Kenya’s qualification for the HSBC SVNS 2.
In the first leg in South Africa, she scored five tries, including a hat-trick against Samoa that powered Kenya to victory.
She also added two tries in their final match against Argentina.
Her impressive form continued in the second leg, where she scored another hat-trick against Belgium before adding a vital try against Uganda.
Such performances have underlined her ability to deliver in high-pressure moments, making her absence even more notable for the Lionesses.
Kenya heads into the Montevideo leg facing an uphill task, currently sitting fifth in the standings with six points, just one spot above bottom-placed Brazil.
The Lionesses will begin their campaign at Estadio Charrúa against China on Saturday at 5 p.m. Kenyan time.
After the Uruguay leg, the Lionesses will travel alongside their male counterparts Kenya national rugby sevens team, to Brazil for the third leg of the series, scheduled for March 27–28 in São Paulo, where they will aim to climb the standings despite missing one of their key players.