Charged for success: Despite stagnation, women’s rugby is tipped to grow in leaps and bounds

By ERICK OCHIENG’

National Women’s Sevens rugby team Kenya Lionesses before they left for the Hong Kong Sevens Women’s Tournament, yesterday. [Photo:ERICK OCHIENG’/STANDARD]

Women’s rugby in Kenya can be traced back to 1978 at Mwamba RFC, however, its development has stagnated compared to the men’s game.

Women’s rugby stagnated for a long time, only to be revived in the year 2000 during the Kabeberi Sevens tournament.

But 14 years after its revival, Kenya has had KCB and Mwamba as the only clubs to embrace women’s rugby and have produced players to the national team, the Kenya Lionesses.

Women’s rugby has stagnated in the past decades due to lack of funds, the feeling that rugby is a man’s game and lack of a women’s national league.

Kenya Lionesses Team Manager, Doris Mwanzia, says the best way to improve women’s rugby is to set up structures all the way from primary to secondary schools.

She suggests that women’s rugby should be included in the schools curriculum.

 “I am glad that despite limited funding by the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU), the players continue to play with passion at club and national team levels,” Mwanzia told FeverPitch before she jetted out with the Kenya Lionesses for Hong Kong Sevens, yesterday.

KRU Head of Rugby Development Malik Ndemi says the union is out to popularise women’s rugby.

He admits hat lack of funding and facilities have delayed Kenya’s chances of winning the Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) and joining the prestigious International Rugby Board (IRB) series for women.

He says, through the ‘Get Into Rugby’ IRB Programme, the union has set up development centers in Western (Mukumu girls), Coast (Mugalu Secondary in Wundanyi), and in Nairobi (State House Girls and Precious Blood Secondary schools) among other places to feed clubs and the national team in future.  

establish league

Ndemi, who is also a Kenya Cup side Strathmore player, has tipped the union to take a giant leap to establish a first ever women’s national league by December this year.

Ndemi says: “I have talked to clubs about setting up women’s rugby teams. We are also in talks with the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association for women’s rugby to be included in schools sports programmes.” 

 One of the pioneers of women rugby in Kenya, Angela Olum, a former Mwamba RFC player adds that lack of monetary gains make women retire prematurely from the sport.

 “Women’s rugby is currently not paying, players have to look for alternative jobs apart from the meagre   allowances they are paid by clubs and the national team,” says Olum.

Kenya Lionesses team captain Doreen Remour, who will retire in the next two years, says:  “I love rugby even if it is not all that paying, I am looking forward to be a mentor to other many up and  coming girls who are eager to embrace the game,” says Remour.

Kenya Lionesses head coach Kevin Wambua, says there is no consistency in the game due to lack of local and international tournaments.

“We have too much breaks in the national team due to lack of games, but I love the commitment in my girls despite the meagre pay,” says Wambua.

Wambua believes his charges will make it to a fourth place finish in Hong Kong on March 28 and lift the Confederation of African Rugby title on April 12 at   Machakos Stadium to gain entry into the prestigious IRB series.            

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