Janet Okello had a superb performance in the tournament.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 17 – Despite losing 17-12 to defending champions South Africa in the Africa Cup Sevens, the national women’s sevens team Kenya Lionesses have qualified for the 2018 Commonwealth Games but misses out on the World Cup slot.
South Africa, who have now won the tournament for a record fourth successive time, qualified for both the 2018 World Cup Sevens in USA and Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
It was a case of so close yet so far after the Kenya Lionesses rallied one try down to lead power house South Africa 12-5 at the interval with Sinaida Aura going over to level matters 5-5 after Janet Owino missed the conversion.
Star Janet Okello, who has had a brilliant tournament put Kenya ahead after darting past three players to ground under the post for Owino to convert.
South Africa came stronger in the second half, maximizing Kenya’s penalty that saw Doreen Remor sent to the sin bin to reduce the deficit to two points.
The defending champions were back on the lead with an excellent try after Kenya’s poor line-out gifted South Africa scrum that they fully utilized for the winner.
-Lionesses eliminate Tunisia in semis-
Kenya Lionesses team are through to Commonwealth Games.
In the semi-finals, Lionesses overcame hosts Tunisia’s scare to win 26-7 over the North Africans and sail into the final four years in a row.
Okello was the heroine in this match, after scoring two tries and providing an assist in a match that saw Tunisia come from one try down to hold Kenya 7-7 at the break.
Okello, broke the deadlock after picking a pass from captain Philadelphia Olando but the lead did not last as Tunisia backed by their vocal home crowd restored parity.
Kenya suffered a blow after Aura was sent to the sin bin to give advantage Tunisia and they nearly took the lead at the hooter but the Kenyan defense was solid to deny the North Africans the chance.
A half-time pep talk by head coach Kevin Wambua did inspire the Kenyan girls to come back stronger with Okello kicking the ball before chasing it to go over for the converted try to give his side a sigh of relief.
A poor line-out from the Tunisians gifted Olando a try and the third for Kenya when she touched the whitewash on the left corner to take the scores at 19-7 after Janet Owino missed the conversion.
Kenya wrapped up the match to make a statement ahead of the final after Aura burst away to touch down behind the post for the converted try that sent the Kenya side into the final.
-Lionesses maul Morocco in quarters-
Kenya Lionesses eliminated Morocco in the quarters.
Kenya started the second day by whitewashing Morocco 47-0 in the quarter-finals with Aura producing a brilliant performance, grounding four tries.
Assistant captain Sheila Chajira and Celestine Masinde crossed over just before the hooter to make it 28-0 after conversions.
In the second half, Aura returned to complete a hat-trick in what has been a perfect weekend for the former Mwamba RFC winger.
Kenya was awarded a penalty try with a minute to go after a high tackle for scores to be 42-0. Aura would bag her fourth try to make the game unreachable for the opponents.
