The Kenya Lionesses have received a major boost ahead of the Africa Rugby Sevens Championship as France-based star Grace Adhiambo is lined up for a return to the national team.
Adhiambo, who plays for Racing 92 in Paris, missed the recent Safari Sevens due to club commitments but is expected to rejoin the squad a week before the continental showpiece, scheduled for Saturday, 7 to Sunday, 8 November at the RFUEA Ground in Nairobi. The experienced playmaker’s return is expected to strengthen Kenya’s campaign as the hosts target the title and promotion to the HSBC Sevens II competition.
Head coach Simon Odongo believes Adhiambo’s experience, tactical awareness and improved game will be valuable assets as the Lionesses seek to dethrone defending champions South Africa. “She is a vital member of the team. Her experience, knowledge of the game and tactical acumen make her an asset to the side. Her game has developed since joining France,” Odongo said.
Kenya will be seeking redemption after suffering a 22-0 defeat to South Africa in last year’s final at the same venue, with the hosts determined to make home advantage count this time around.
The Lionesses have been drawn in Pool B alongside Tunisia, Ghana and Egypt, with Odongo cautioning his charges against underestimating their opponents as they pursue a place in the semi-finals. “Tunisia trained with us at Safari Sevens, and they are improving. Ghana are a physical side who are learning the game very well, while Egypt are also making strides,” he said. Defending champions South Africa headline Pool A alongside Zambia, Zimbabwe and Rwanda, while Pool C features Uganda, Madagascar, Mauritius and Burkina Faso.
Odongo said the team would approach the tournament one match at a time, with their immediate focus on negotiating the pool stage before turning their attention to the knockout rounds. The championship offers a pathway to the HSBC Sevens III competition in Dubai in December or January, while the two finalists will secure promotion to HSBC Sevens II, scheduled for Talanta Stadium in Nairobi on January 23-24, 2027.
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The Lionesses will head into the competition with valuable lessons from the Safari Sevens, where the technical bench used three teams to assess players and experiment with different formations and positional combinations.
The exercise allowed the coaches to evaluate players across various roles, including wing, centre and prop, as they fine-tuned their options ahead of the continental assignment.“We played different formations and systems across all three teams at Safari Sevens. We wanted to see players in different positions, such as wing, centre or prop. It was a solid exercise, and the technical bench learnt a few lessons,” Odongo said.
The team began preparations with a two-week non-residential training camp running from Monday, 19 to Sunday, 31 October before proceeding to a week-long intensive camp ahead of the tournament.