Kenya Lionesses will now turn their attention to the Africa Cup Sevens Championship in Tunsia in September after failing to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Head coach Dennis Mwanja believes the team is in good shape to win the continental show and qualify for the Challenger Seven Series which starts in January next year.
“The girls will take a two-week break before starting preparations for the Africa Cup. Our biggest task will be South Africa but I believe we can run them close and beat them," said Mwanja.
The top two teams from the Africa Cup Sevens tournament will qualify for the Challenger Seven Series starting in January next year.
The KCB assistant coach said he will be looking to include more new faces in the team to bolster the squad and depth for the upcoming assignments.
"Going forward, we will be on the lookout even if it means getting sprinters and players from other disciplines on board. We need to be innovative going forward and build depth in the squad. I will also be on the lookout for emerging talent in the National Sevens Circuit next month," noted Mwanja.
The squad will also play at the Safari Sevens tournament in October. Kenya lost to China 24-7 in the final of the Olympics Sevens repechage in Monaco to bow out of the race.
Mwanja believes they lost the match due to a lack of depth in the side. "We played well for ten minutes but the Chinese took control in the last four minutes and won the game," he noted.
The Lionesses missed out on qualification to the 2024/2025 World Sevens Series after finishing fifth with only the top four sides punching their ticket to the promotion and relegation playoff in Madrid early this month.
"I believe the girls know what is required at this elite level. We had one bad outing in Uruguay and it cost us dearly but we move on and next time we hope to come better prepared,” observed Mwanja.
The former international hoped the Kenya Rugby Union would clear all their outstanding dues which have accumulated for the last nine months
“Going forward, the union will do their part because you can't expect the girls to perform at this level and you have not remunerated them. This team has gone through a lot of challenges to get where they are," noted Mwanja
