- Kenya Lionesses edge Uganda Lady Cranes 17-10 to secure a spot in the 2025 Rugby Africa Women’s 7s main Cup final.
- The tournament is taking place at the RFUEA Grounds on Sunday, November 16.
- The Kenya Lionesses will now face South Africa for the third consecutive time in the finals.
Naomi Amuguni came to the rescue when it mattered most, scoring the decisive try that propelled the Kenya Lionesses into the 2025 Rugby Africa Women’s 7s main cup finals, after they edged a stubborn Uganda Lady Cranes 17-10 in the semifinals on Sunday afternoon.
The Kenya Lionesses narrowly escaped that scare at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi, to set up another thrilling championship decider of the 2025 edition against the record and reigning champions, South Africa.
This marks the third consecutive final where these two teams will clash. The Lionesses, appearing in their 10th final, will be chasing only their second-ever title, while the Springbok women are seeking their 12th.
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Kenya Lionesses edge Uganda Lady Cranes 17-10
In the semifinal clash, the Lionesses were also the first to concede, after weathering sustained pressure from Uganda, who camped inside their 22-meter area.
Uganda managed to cross the line first with a try from Peace Lekuru.
However, the Lionesses hit back to level the score through speedster Freshia Odour, who surged down the right wing following a slick offload by Janet Okello to make it a 5-5 game.
Just before halftime, Kenya managed to seize the lead.
It was Odour again who capitalized on a defensive error from the Cranes, who fumbled the ball. Odour pounced, stealing possession and sprinting clear to send the Lionesses into the break leading 10-5.
The second half kicked off with Uganda being the first to get on the scoreboard, with another try from Lekuru, locking the score at 10-10 and setting up a nail-biting, end-to-end contest.
But with mere seconds remaining on the clock, the host nation rose to its feet. Amuguni seized the moment, powering through the Uganda Lady Cranes’ defence.
She broke through and dove straight between the posts for the winning try. Grace Okulu added the extras, sending the Lionesses to the finals to meet a formidable South African side for the third year running.
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Meanwhile, Uganda will face Madagascar in the bronze medal match, hoping to finish the tournament on a high.
The ticket to the HSBC Series third division has now slipped from their grasp, with South Africa being the team that requires that particular promotion. Kenya is already secure in the second division.
Africa Women’s 7s 2025: Sunday, November 16 Fixtures & Results
Sunday
- 09:00 – Cup QF1: South Africa 48-00 Ghana
- 09:22 – Cup QF2: Madagascar 17-7 Zambia
- 09:44 – Cup QF3: Uganda 31-12 Tunisia
- 10:06 – Cup QF4: Kenya 33-12 Zimbabwe
- 10:28 – 9th Place SF1: Mauritius 22-7 Egypt
- 10:50 – 9th Place SF2: Cote d’Ivoire 5-10 Burkina Faso
- 12:14 – Cup SF1: South Africa 29-00 Madagascar
- 12:36 – Cup SF2: Kenya Lionesses 17-10 Uganda Lady Cranes
- 12:58 – 11th Place Final – Egypt vs Cote d’Ivoire
- 13:20 – 9th Place Final – Mauritius vs Burkina Faso
- 15:00 – 7th Place Final – Zimbabwe vs Ghana
- 15:25 – 5th Place Final – Tunisia vs Zambia
- 15:54 – Bronze Medal Match – Uganda vs Madagascar
- 16:30 – Gold Medal Match – South Africa vs Kenya Lionesses