LIONESSES SET: National women’s rugby side to take part in IRB World Sevens Series

Kenya's players celebrates their main cup semi-finals against Tunisia.PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO

Kenya's national women's rugby side The Lionesses will take part in the qualifying rounds of the IRB Women's 2014/2015 World Sevens Series.
The series are set for Hong Kong from September 12-13, Kenya Rugby Union has confirmed.
KRU chairman Mwangi Muthee said the team the team is in good shape and needs all the support to make it to the highest stage in the global women's sevens rugby, the IRB Women's Sevens Championships.
The team is currently in Uganda for the Elgon Cup Championships.
"The team is in good shape and their participation in the Elgon Cup is a morale booster to the players and we look forward to a good tournament," Muthee told FeverPitch.
Twelve teams are set to battle it out for the four slots in order to qualify for the International Rugby Board World Women Sevens Series.
The teams include Kenya, Japan, China, South Africa, Brazil, Fiji, Mexico, Hong Kong, France, Netherlands, Portugal and Argentina.
The teams have been divided into three pools of four teams each and will be played at Shek Kip Mei Stadium.
The two top teams in each pool, together with the two best third-placed teams, proceed to quarter-finals. The semi finalists automatically qualify for the next season's World Women's Sevens Series.

The four teams will join seven other accomplished sides that have already qualified in the IRB Calendar of Events.
The are New Zealand, Australia, Russia, England, Spain, USA and Canada, while IRB will invite the 12th team to the tournament.
IRB Head of Competitions and Performance Mark Egan said the event will also prepare teams that are salivating to feature in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in Brazil.
"These are exciting times in World Women's Rugby Sevens. With the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro just over two years away, teams will take advantage of the competition to prepare for the big games and therefore we expect a hugely competitive and high-quality qualification tournament for next season's IRB Women's Sevens World Series," said Egan.
The squad has Keziah Achieng, Rosehilda Kamanga, Emily Achieng, Rachael Adhiambo, Millicent Opala, Stacey Awuor, Camilyn Oyuayo, Mary Otieno, Mary Musieka, Doreen Remour, Linda Nanda, Janet Owino, Celestine Masinde, Janet Okello, Irene Awino, Janet Midecha, Winnie Naima, Clementina Atieno, Sheila Chajira, Dorcas Ocholi, Gentrix Mwalo, Evelyne Odero and Linet Moraa.
The national side is coached by Enos Otieno and Kevin Wambua, while Ben Mahinda is the physiotherapist. Angela Olum is the team manager.
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