- Kenya Lionesses were beaten 12-7 by South Africa in their most recent game.
- The two sides qualified to the semifinal of the World Rugby Challenger Series first leg after finishing at the top of their pools.
- The winner between Kenya and South Africa will play either Argentina or Colombia in the final.
Kenya Lionesses are set to lock horns with hosts South Africa in the 2025 HSBC World Rugby Challenger Series first leg semi-final in Cape Town.
The game, which is planned to kick off at 4:18 PM East African Time (EAT), means a lot to the Kenyan players since it offers them a platform to avenge their narrow 12-7 defeat that they suffered in the final of the 2024 Paris Olympic qualifiers in Tunis, Tunisia.
The painful defeat forced them to play in the repechage tournament where they failed to bag a ticket to the Olympic Games.
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A win for Kenya against South Africa on their home soil will not only move them a step closer to their HSBC SVNS dream but also bring closure.
Lionesses made it to the semis thanks to convincing wins against Poland and Samoa in their Pool D clashes that were played on Saturday at the Athlone Stadium.
The Dennis Mwanja charges secured a 20-05 victory of Samoa in their first match before obliterating Poland 29-7.
Lionesses’ skipper Grace Okulu produced a player of the match performance in the game against Samoa, scoring three fantastic tries in the process.
ALSO READ: Kenya Lionesses annihilate Samoa in Challenger Series 2025 opener
Meanwhile, South Africa also played excellent rugby on Saturday, beating their Pool A rivals Hong Kong China and Czechia by huge margins.
The African powerhouse hammered Hong Kong China 36-0 before registering a 26-0 victory over Czechia.
According to the team’s fly half Zintle Mpupha, they are expecting a hard game against their East African opponents.
“They are a good side and always demand the best from us in any game we play and tomorrow will be no different. We will have to bring our best tomorrow,” Mpupha was quoted by the SA Rugby website.
The winner between the Lionesses and South Africa will fight for the title against either Colombia or Argentina.
ALSO READ: Kenya Lionesses defeat Poland to reach semifinals in first leg of Challenger Series 2025