The Kenya national women’s rugby 7s team, the Kenya Lionesses, will host the Polish women’s team in an exciting rugby-friendly match on Saturday at the RFUEA Grounds, Nairobi.
Match Preparations Underway
The Poland women’s team arrived in Kenya earlier this week and held their first training session at the Ngong Road grounds on Tuesday to familiarize themselves with the field. Their preparations will continue with another training session on Friday at the same venue.
Both teams are using this friendly match as part of their preparations for the World Rugby Challenger Series, a two-legged tournament set to take place in Cape Town, South Africa, in March 2025.
Road to World Rugby Series Qualification
The Kenya Lionesses and Poland are battling to secure a spot in the prestigious World Rugby Series, having both fallen short in their qualification bids last year.
The Challenger Series features 12 teams, with the top four advancing to the play-offs in Los Angeles on May 3–4, 2025. The top four teams from the Los Angeles play-offs will earn qualification to the World Rugby Series.
Recent Performance Insights
Poland:The Polish women’s team finished fourth in last year’s Challenger Series, collecting 40 points, two more than Kenya. Their performance earned them a spot in the Madrid play-offs, where they struggled, losing all their Pool A matches to China, Japan, and Spain.
Kenya Lionesses:The Lionesses had a challenging season, capped by missing out on qualification for the Paris Olympics. They lost 24-7 to China in the finals of the Repechage tournament in Monaco, ending their bid for a third consecutive Olympics appearance.
Head-to-Head Record
The last encounter between the two teams was at the third leg of the Challenger Series in Krakow, Poland, in May 2024. In that match, Poland defeated Kenya 21-10 in the semifinals of the main cup.
What’s at Stake
This weekend’s friendly is more than just a warm-up; it’s a crucial opportunity for both teams to fine-tune their strategies, build confidence, and gauge each other’s strengths ahead of the Challenger Series in March.
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