What World Series qualification would mean for women's rugby in Kenya

Source: Capital FM Kenya
Author: Omondi Onyatta

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 14 - National women's rugby sevens captain Sheila Chajira believes many young ladies will pick up the sport should they qualify for the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

Chajira says qualifying for the prestigious competition is a dream for many and for Lionesses to attain it would have a seismic effect on women's rugby in Kenya.

"That is a dream for every girl coming from high school. Qualifying for the Sevens Series is the goal for every member of the national 7s team. It will have an effect not only at the national level but also at the club level because we will have a lot of people coming in to play this game that we love," she said.

Recognising that a time would come to pass the baton to a younger generation, Chajira added that an increase in the number of female rugby players bodes well for the country.

"Most of us may eventually leave the national team...maybe retire. We don't want to leave a gap when we depart. As for me, I volunteer at Kings Rugby Academy...it's a club in Kibera, which focuses on young girls. They see me playing and know there is a place to work towards," the skipper said.

She added: "An opportunity to represent your country is a wonderful. To play women's rugby does not only come with the opportunity to travel or get paid. Don't stop playing because you don't know where your future lies."

Chajira will be skippering the Lionesses' in this weekend's ultimate leg of the Challenger Series in Krakow, Poland.

The ladies will be out for an excellent performance as they bid to end in the top of the series standings, ahead of the playoffs in Madrid on May 31-June 2.

Their last outing in Montevideo ended on an underwhelming note after losing 27-22 to Hong Kong China in the seventh-place playoff.

However, the captain assures that the Lionesses will be a different beast in Poland where they face Belgium, Mexico and the hosts in Pool B.

"The training has been great...it has been a little bit different. We have had a new coach in Chris Brown who has been helping us in certain aspects of our game. People will see a big difference in the previous game and the one, which we are going to play in Poland," she said.

Securing their place in next season's World Rugby Sevens Series will be the perfect platform from which to approach the Paris Olympics Repechage (June 21-23) where Kenya will be seeking a third straight qualification to the quadrennial event.

Lionesses will be up against Argentina, Papua New Guinea and Samoa in Pool A.

The magnitude of the task notwithstanding, the captain is confident in their abilities to rise up to the occasion.

"We have played twice (at the Olympics)...we know what it feels to play there...we have tasted the blood and want to go for it again. We are going all out because it is the last chance to qualify for this year's Olympics. Most of the teams we are going to meet in the Repechage are also participating in the Challenger Series. We have watched them and we know what to do when it comes to facing them," Chajira said.

The Lionesses begin their Krakow campaign on Friday against the hosts at 3:28 pm before squaring up to Belgium, three hours later.

Their last pool match will be against Mexico on Saturday.