Five fresh faces for Lionesses as Mwanja reveals squad for South Africa trip

© KRU

RUGBY Five fresh faces for Lionesses as Mwanja reveals squad for South Africa trip

Festus Chuma 20:40 - 11.09.2023

Mwanja unveils the Lionesses squad, introducing five debutants for pivotal warm-up matches in South Africa ahead of the WXV3 Dubai tournament.

The national women's rugby team head coach Dennis Mwanja has named a 25-player squad for two pivotal warm-up matches in South Africa.

This announcement has attracted significant attention from rugby enthusiasts, as the team gears up for the much-anticipated World Rugby WXV3 competition. 

The inaugural tournament is scheduled to run from 13-28 October 2023 in the glamorous city of Dubai, UAE.

The Lionesses are set to face a tough challenge on Saturday, 16th September, when they go head-to-head with the South African team. They will then battle it out with the San Clemente Rhinos in a second match the following week.

These games are integral for the team to refine their gameplay, examine their strong suits, and plug any gaps in preparation for the main event in Dubai.

Dennis Mwanja, the Lionesses coach, took a bold step by including five newcomers in the squad, indicating his vision to blend experience with fresh talent. 

The debutants named are Faith Livoi, Jiveti Daisy Osore, Esther Juma, Diana Omoso, and Naomi Muhanji. 

The squad's leadership will be under the adept guidance of Enid Ouma, who has been named captain for these warm-up matches.

 “These two matches serve as a build-up to the tournament in Dubai,” Mwanja emphasized in an interview with KRU media.

However, the preparations are not without their challenges as Mwanja pointed out, the team will face a notable hurdle.

"We will have the team minus the sevens players who are preparing for the Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens, which takes place on the same weekend as the WXV3 opener,” he noted.

The Lionesses are scheduled to land in South Africa on Wednesday 13 September, offering them a few days to acclimate and fine-tune their preparations.

Housed in the prestigious Sevens Stadium in Dubai, the World Rugby WXV3 competition promises to be a rugby spectacle like no other. 

The venue will host all nine exhilarating matches, offering fans a grand display of world-class rugby. 

The Kenya Lionesses will find themselves up against powerful teams from Colombia, Fiji, Ireland, Kazakhstan, and Spain. 

Lionesses squad to South Africa

 Rose Otieno , Knight Otwoma,  Natasha Emali ,  Faith Livoi, Hesla Khisa, Diana Kemunto, Enid Ouma, Naomi Jelagat, Winnie Owino, Ann Goretti , Jiveti Daisy Osore , Priscah Nyerere , Naomi Amuguni ,Esther Juma, Diana Omoso, Naomi Muhanji, Evelyne Kalemera, Mercy Migongo, Phoebe Ouma, Judith Okumu ,Grace Okulu,Sinaida Mokaya,Stella Wafula ,Sharon Auma,  Michelle Akinyi