Crunch moment as the Lionesses face Colombia

Madacasgar players, Randrianarijaona Andoiniaina (Left) and Raholinirina Tsinjo attack Kenya Lioness Linet Moraa (with ball) during their Bartes cup finals match at Nyayo National stadium in Nairobi on July 11, 2021. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Kenya Lionesses head coach Felix Oloo is optimistic ahead of the rearranged Rugby World Cup Repechage Qualifier match against Colombia to be played behind closed doors at Nyayo Stadium today (3pm).

The Lionesses have played four matches since the original qualification match against the South Americans was postponed last year in April due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Though the national team lost all their recent matches starting with a 37-15 aggregate defeat to Madagascar (27-15 and 10-0) in the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup last month before falling to South Africa (66-0 and 29-22) in test matches a few weeks ago, Oloo says the mood is upbeat ahead of the play-off.

And it appears the Kenyans are drawing their motivation from their much-improved performance against Springbok Women in the second match which they narrowly lost 29-22. 

“The first test was all about getting new players in the system and preparing them to take up their positions in the near future. It was really good for them to have the feeling of being a national team player and to get an understanding of what test rugby is like,” Oloo was quoted on World Rugby.