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The Nairobian

Kenya finishes strong but South Africa retains Rugby Africa Women's 7s title

Rugby

By Washington Onyango | Nov 11, 2024

**Kenya Lionesses in action aginst South Africa.** [Courtesy]

Kenya Lionesses fell short in their quest for the Rugby Africa Women’s 7s title after a spirited performance against defending champions South Africa, who claimed a 19-10 victory in a tense final match held in Ghana on Sunday.

This result mirrored last year’s showdown, where South Africa narrowly edged Kenya 12-7 to secure their first-ever Olympic qualification.

Entering the final, both the Lionesses and South Africa had showcased impressive form, winning all their prior matches. South Africa’s dominance was particularly noteworthy, having reached the final without conceding a single point until Kenya’s determined challenge.

The Lionesses set the tone early, controlling possession and capitalizing on a penalty in South Africa’s 22-meter area. Kenya’s Stella Wafula found a gap in the defense and sprinted across the line, becoming the first player to score against South Africa in the tournament and giving Kenya a 5-0 lead.

South Africa responded when Mathrin Simmers broke through Kenya’s defense and set up Ayanda Malinga for a try, leveling the score at 5-5. Shortly after, Malinga’s yellow card for a high tackle seemed to give the Lionesses an edge, but South Africa’s defense remained solid, keeping the scores tied at halftime despite the numerical disadvantage.

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Kenya came back strong in the second half, with Sinaida Nyachio making a sharp run before feeding Sharon Auma, who powered over the line to restore Kenya’s lead at 10-5. However, South Africa quickly struck back, as Zintle Mpupha outmaneuvered the defense and set up Felicia Jacobs, who scored under the posts to give South Africa a narrow 12-10 advantage.

Despite Mpupha’s yellow card later in the match, the Lionesses struggled to capitalize on the opportunity. They lost possession in attack, and South Africa regained control when Mpupha returned, helping Jacobs score the decisive try that sealed South Africa’s 19-10 victory.

Kenya’s strong performance earned them a place in the Challenger Series, alongside South Africa and Uganda, who defeated Madagascar 17-5 in the third-place playoff