Kenya Lionesses head coach Dennis Mwanja has hailed his team’s resilience and determination after they secured a dominant 17-0 victory over South Africa in the 2025 HSBC SVNS Challenger Series final held at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.

The win, which marked Kenya’s second consecutive title in the series, was particularly significant given their past losses to South Africa.

“We lost to South Africa in Tunisia 2023 and again in Ghana 2024, so this victory is poetic justice for us,” Mwanja said. “The girls believed in themselves, and they beat SA in this final.”

Reflecting on the journey to the final, Mwanja admitted that Kenya faced tough tests in the earlier rounds, particularly against Uganda and Colombia. 

“Playing against Uganda and Colombia was tough for us, and in the semifinal, our girls looked a bit rattled,” he revealed. “In the Colombia game, we wanted to keep possession and utilize our opportunities.”

However, in the final, Mwanja’s message to the team was simple: leave everything on the pitch. The players responded with a clinical performance, scoring three unanswered tries to seal the win.

With Kenya now sitting atop the series standings with 40 points, Mwanja has already turned his focus to the next challenge. 

“Let us enjoy this moment, and then after a week’s rest, we are back to training ahead of the third leg of the Challenger Series in Poland,” he concluded.

The Lionesses will now prepare for the final leg in Krakow, Poland, on April 11-12, where they will aim to secure a spot in the HSBC SVNS playoff tournament in Los Angeles.

Kenya Lionesses Scorecard

* Pool Match: Kenya 17 – Belgium 05

* Pool Match: Kenya 10 – Uganda 05

* Cup Semifinal: Kenya 12 – Colombia 05

* Cup Final: Kenya 17 – South Africa 00