Kenya Lionesses star bags award in India as Mumbai Dreamers edge Delhi Redz

Kenya Lionesses star Grace Okulu has etched her name into history after becoming the first Kenyan woman to win the Player of the Match award in the Rugby Premier League (RPL) in India.

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Okulu delivered a standout performance on Wednesday, 17 June, helping Mumbai Dreamers secure a hard-fought 21-19 victory over Delhi Redz in a thrilling women's pool match at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad.

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The victory marked Mumbai Dreamers' first win of the tournament after suffering defeat in their opening fixture and lifted them to third place in the women's standings with three points. Delhi Redz, meanwhile, remained fourth with two points.

The 2026 edition marks a significant milestone for the Rugby Premier League, which has introduced a women's competition for the first time since its inception.

The women's category features four franchises: Kolkata Tigers, Chennai Bulls, Mumbai Dreamers, and Delhi Redz.

Okulu's award-winning display came just days after she enjoyed a bright individual start to the tournament. The experienced Kenya international scored a try in Mumbai Dreamers' opening match against Kolkata Banga Tigers, although her side eventually fell 31-19.

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Her latest performance underlined her importance to the Mumbai Dreamers and further cemented her status as one of Kenya's finest rugby exports.

The award is another milestone in an illustrious career that has seen Okulu become one of the most influential figures in Kenyan women's rugby.

The versatile playmaker is currently in her 11th year with the Kenya Lionesses, having earned her maiden national team call-up in 2015 after years of dedication to the sport.

Since then, she has grown into one of the team's most dependable performers, combining leadership with vast international experience. Her rugby journey has also taken her to Japan, where she featured for Nagato Blue Angels, gaining valuable exposure at the club level.

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Okulu's list of achievements includes representing Kenya at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, competing in the WXV3 tournament, featuring in the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifiers, and playing in multiple World Rugby Challenger Series events.

She was instrumental during the 2025 Challenger Series campaign that secured Kenya Lionesses a place in HSBC SVNS 2.

During the opening leg in South Africa, Okulu crossed the whitewash five times, including a memorable hat-trick against Samoa that inspired Kenya to victory. She also scored twice against Argentina in the final match of the tournament.

Her remarkable form continued in the second leg, where she bagged another hat-trick against Belgium before adding a crucial try against Uganda.