This archive report was first published on 25 August 2021.
On July 11, 2021, the Kenya Lionesses faced off against Madagascar in the Rugby Africa Women's Cup at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, marking a significant moment in their journey to the Rugby World Cup.
Fast forward to today, the Lionesses are set to face Colombia in a rearranged Rugby World Cup Repechage Qualifier match, which will be played behind closed doors at Nyayo Stadium at 3pm.
Since the original qualification match against Colombia was postponed in April 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Lionesses have played four matches, including a 37-15 aggregate defeat to Madagascar and a 66-0 loss to South Africa in test matches.
Despite these losses, head coach Felix Oloo remains optimistic, citing the team's improved performance against Springbok Women in their second match, which they narrowly lost 29-22.
"The first test was all about getting new players in the system and preparing them to take up their positions in the near future. It was really good for them to have the feeling of being a national team player and to get an understanding of what test rugby is like," Oloo said in a statement to World Rugby.
