Lionesses fired up ahead of HSBC SVNS 2 bow

The Kenya women’s rugby sevens team, the Lionesses, are well prepared and highly motivated as they build toward the country’s first-ever home HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series Tier Two tournament. With history on the line, excitement continues to grow within the squad as final preparations take shape.

Deputy team manager Peruz Muyuka says the Lionesses are drawing confidence from their previous exposure at the World Series level, which has helped them sharpen both their game plan and tactical approach.

‘’We have been preparing well given that we have the experience of participating in the World Series stages. So, we know our way on how we are going to play our games.’’ Said Peruz Muyuka.

As part of their build-up, the team is currently in Spain for a five-day high-performance training camp running until February 1, where they will face hosts Spain and Belgium in warm-up matches before returning home.

In addition to the friendlies, the Lionesses will also simulate Tier Two tournament conditions ahead of the competition, which kicks off on February 14 at Nyayo National Stadium.

Muyuka noted that the team’s experience has given them clarity and confidence in how they intend to approach their matches.

Player Judith Auma echoed the optimism, revealing that morale in camp is high and the players are eager to perform in front of home fans, promising an exciting and passionate display.

’The mood in the camp is very good, and everyone is very excited because it will be the first HSBC tournament to be held at home.

The players are really anticipating it because we will be playing in front of our own fans and i promise the fans they will enjoy it.’’ Said Judith Auma.

Head coach Simon Odongo has selected a 14-player squad for the Alicante camp, retaining the core group that reached the final of the Rugby Africa Women’s Tournament in Nairobi in November 2025 as they push for promotion to the top tier across tournaments in Kenya, Uruguay, and Brazil.