Kenya Lionesses begin World Cup slot hunt in Dubai
Rugby
By
Washington Onyango
| Oct 14, 2023
National women's rugby 15s team will on Saturday begin their hunt for the tickets to the Rugby World Cup qualifier in Tunisia and Dubai respectively.
With qualification for the expanded 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup in England a goal for Kenya and the other teams competing in the third level, every WXV3 match in Dubai is guaranteed to be meaningful.
The 2023 WXV is the first edition of WXV, a women's international rugby union group tournament for senior national teams organised by World Rugby
The competition will feature three divisions of six nations each, evenly divided across two groups.
Once Fijiana have taken on Las Tucanes, Ireland and Kazakhstan will take to The Sevens Stadium pitch while Spain and Kenya complete the line-up today (4pm).
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Kenya have won two and lost two of their tests this year.
The Lionesses beat hosts Madagascar and Cameroon in Antananarivo in May to finish second behind South Africa in the 2023 Rugby Africa Women's Cup, their only defeat coming against the Springbok Women.
Kenya lost to South Africa for a second time in their only warm-up test ahead of WXV 3, but Enid Ouma is confident they can do well in Dubai.
Ouma said: "We're looking forward to the tournament, we're confident about the team and we're confident that we're going to do well. We're looking forward to the exposure, for the enjoyment and to learn as well.
"It's a big thing for us to be in this competition and play at this level. We're open to it, we're open to seeing what is going to happen and how we're going to perform here.
"There are a lot of women looking to play rugby in Kenya now and that is a very positive thing. We're very proud to be playing in this tournament."
Spain go into WXV 3 as reigning European champions having secured their sixth straight title earlier this year.
After facing Spain, Kenya will play Kazakhstan on October 20 before finishing with a clash against Colombia on October 27.