Lionesses set up showdown against Uganda after cruising to main cup semis
14th October 2023
Only the winner of the 8-team African tournament will qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
- The Kenya Lionesses recorded 3/3 wins to top the table in Group B.
- The Dennis Mwanja coached side beat Zambia, Ghana and Madagascar in their pool clashes and will meet Uganda in the semifinals on Sunday.
- The match will kick off at 1306EAT.
The women’s
national rugby 7s side, Kenya Lionesses, got the first part of the job done in
emphatic fashion as they recorded wins in all of their three Group B matches on
day one to advance to the semifinals of the 2023 Rugby Africa Women’s 7s Cup as
the table toppers.
Having
picked 27-0 and 41-0 victories against Zambia and Ghana respectively in their
opening two clashes, the Dennis Mwanja-coached side overcame challenge from a
tricky Madagascar in the last group match to maintain their perfect day one record
following a 17-20 win.
The Kenyan
side were made to work hard for the win as they had to come from behind to
maintain their unbeaten start with tries from
Sinaida Mokaya, Judith Auma and a Stella Wafula brace sealing the victory.
The result ensures Kenya’s hopes of qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics remain alive as they advanced to the last four where they are set to take on Uganda.
In the tournament, Kenya are seeking to book a ticket to the Olympic Games for the third time in a row.
Since Rio
2016 and the entry of rugby 7s into the Olympic programme, no other country
apart from Kenya has represented Africa at the Olympics in women’s rugby sevens
with the Lionesses taking part in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
The 2023 African winners will join France, New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Ireland, Brazil and Great Britain at the next Olympics.
The other semifinal will see South Africa take on Zambia for a place in the final.
GROUPS
Group A -
South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Group B –
Madagascar, Kenya, Zambia, Ghana
Fixtures in
Tunisian time
SATURDAY, OCTOBER
14
Tunisia 5-12 Uganda
South Africa 26-5 Zimbabwe
Kenya 27-0 Zambia
Madagascar 34-10 Ghana
Tunisia 26-5 Zimbabwe
South Africa 19-0 Uganda
Kenya 41-0 Ghana
Madagascar 15-17 Zambia
Uganda 22-0 Zimbabwe
Zambia 15-10 Ghana
Madagascar 17-20 Kenya
South Africa 22-7 Tunisia
SUNDAY,
OCTOBER 15
10:00 a.m.:
Tunisia vs Ghana
10:22 a.m.: Madagascar vs Zimbabwe
Cup Semifinal 2: South Africa vs Zambia
Cup Semifinal 2: Kenya vs Uganda
7th Place Final: Loser (Tunisia vs Ghana) vs Loser (
5th Place Final: Winner (Tunisia vs Ghana) vs Winner (
Bronze Final Loser:
Cup Final: Winner (South Africa vs Zambia) vs Winner (Kenya vs Uganda)