- South Africa vs Kenya Lionesses will lock horns in the final of the 2025 Rugby Africa Women’s 7s tournament.
- The match is set to be staged at the RFUEA Grounds on Sunday, November 16.
- Kick-off is scheduled for 4:30 PM EAT.
The 2025 Rugby Africa Women’s 7s tournament’s main Cup final is set to be electric as hosts Kenya Lionesses take on record champions South Africa on Sunday evening, with kick-off scheduled for 4:30 PM EAT.
Both teams have enjoyed impressive outings since the tournament began on Saturday at the RFUEA Grounds.
Each side cruised into the quarterfinals without conceding a single point, comfortably topping their respective pools.
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The Springbok women dominated Pool A, securing a commanding 68-0 victory over Mauritius and a 40-0 win against Zimbabwe.
This set up a quarterfinal against Ghana, whom they overpowered 48-0. They continued their formidable form in the semifinals, delivering a 29-0 pummeling of Madagascar to maintain a perfect defensive record.
ALSO READ: Kenya Lionesses advance to 2025 Africa Women’s 7s main cup semis with victory over Zimbabwe
The Kenya Lionesses also built strong momentum in the group stage, toppling Cote d’Ivoire 44-0 and Ghana 37-0.
They faced their first real test in the quarterfinal against Zimbabwe, conceding for the first time but ultimately winning 31-12.
This led to a tense semifinal against regional rivals Uganda Lady Cranes, whom they narrowly defeated 17-10.
South Africa vs Kenya Lionesses: Africa Women’s 7s 2025 final preview
For the third consecutive year (2023, 2024, and now 2025), the final will feature the same pairing.
South Africa enters as the clear favorite, having won the previous two encounters: 12-7 in Tunisia (2023) and 17-10 in Accra, Ghana (2024).
This will be the Lionesses’ tenth final, and in their past nine, they have faced South Africa repeatedly seven times but have yet to defeat them, with the Springboks holding a significant upper hand.
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Therefore, the Simon Odongo-coached side, who are seeking their second-ever title after their 2018 victory over Uganda, will be aiming to finally topple the record champions.
A win would also make them the second-most successful team in the competition’s history, alongside Tunisia, who have also won once.
For South Africa, they are eyeing a record-extending 12th title.
The stakes are also incredibly high, as they need to win to qualify for the third division of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, which serves as a challenger series and a pathway to the second division – a tier the Kenya Lionesses already occupy.
The match promises a thrilling atmosphere. Bolstered by a passionate home crowd, the Kenya Lionesses will be desperate to be crowned the new African champions.
Meanwhile, the Cecil Afrika-led South African squad aims to defend their crown and keep their HSBC Series qualification hopes alive.
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