This archive report was first published on 10 July 2019.
Kenya's women's rugby team, the Lionesses, are set to face off against Uganda's Lady Cranes in the Elgon Cup return leg on Saturday at Kyadondo Rugby Club in Kampala, Uganda.
Coach Felix Oloo has made seven changes to the team, including five debutants, in a bid to build team cohesion and allow them to gel ahead of the match.
Among the changes is the return of experienced forward Millicent Opala, who last featured for the Lionesses in 2015. Opala will be joined by new inclusions Winfred Maina, Winnie Owino, Anne Njeri, Victoria Gichure, and Impala line breaker Diana Awino.
Emmaculate Owiro will also move from the bench to the starting line-up.
Commenting on the 23 players he has selected, Oloo expressed confidence that they will record victory, saying, "We are very confident that this squad will do the job this weekend. The changes are designed to build team cohesion and allow them to gel."
He added, "This is by no means the final squad for the qualifiers but it gives us a chance to see more players before we settle on the final 26."
The match is part of the Lionesses' preparations for the 2021 women's Rugby World Cup continental qualifiers slated for August in Johannesburg, South Africa.
