Dennis Mwanja confident of Lionesses abilities ahead of second Challenger Series
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Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 06.03.25. | 16:39
The Lionesses have been placed in Pool A alongside Uganda and Belgium
Kenya Lionesses head coach Dennis Mwanja has expressed confidence in his proteges as they prepare for the second leg of the HSBC Challenger Series, which is scheduled for Saturday, 8 March, to Sunday, 9 March, in Cape Town, South Africa.
The fierce Lionesses are fresh from a historic triumph in the first leg, where they defeated Argentina 19-15 in the final to be crowned champions.
They will be eager to extend their dominance this weekend.
Speaking on their preparedness, coach Mwanja was confident that they had all it takes to replicate last weekend’s performance, emphasizing the importance of player leadership on the field.
“At this stage, the players must take ownership, stepping up without the coach's voice and channeling their determination towards winning. Their leadership on the field will be crucial in achieving both the team's and the coaching staff's vision,” he said.
The former Kenya Sevens star also marveled at the growth of women's rugby in the recent past, noting that it is the product of continued investment and support from different stakeholders.
“This is an exciting time for women's rugby and the Lionesses as a whole. We appreciate the support from our union and sponsors, and we look forward to a great outing,” he offered.
The Lionesses have been placed in Pool A alongside Uganda and Belgium.
Both opponents are familiar foes. Uganda fell to Kenya 19-0 in the semi-finals of the Africa Cup Sevens in Accra, Ghana, a result that ensured Kenya’s direct qualification to the Challenger Series.
Meanwhile, Belgium will be looking to repeat last year’s Challenger Series upset, where they ended the Lionesses’ World Series playoff hopes with a 26-7 victory in Poland. Kenya will be keen on avenging that loss and proving their dominance on the global stage.
Uganda comes into the tournament with renewed momentum after securing a 17-7 victory over Japan in last weekend’s 7th-place playoff, while Belgium finished ninth after defeating Hong Kong China 19-12.
Pool B consists of Argentina, Czechia, and Hong Kong China, while Pool C includes South Africa, Poland, and Samoa. The final women’s pool comprises Colombia, Thailand, and Mexico.
The HSBC Challenger Series will span three legs, with the top eight men’s and women’s teams advancing to the final tournament at Henryk Reyman’s Municipal Stadium in Krakow, Poland, on April 11-12.
The top four teams from the overall standings will then progress to the HSBC SVNS Play-Offs in Los Angeles on May 3-4, where they will face off against the bottom four ranked teams from the HSBC SVNS 2025 for a spot in the prestigious SVNS events.
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