NAIROBI, Kenya, September 18 – National women’s rugby 15s captain Sheila Chajira is eager to put on a show for her son and family members when she takes to the pitch for their test match against Madagascar at the RFUEA Grounds on Friday afternoon.
Chajira says having a vociferous crowd in attendance is the right tonic for a five-star performance by the home team.
“We are humbled that we are playing a home game and we urge as many people as possible to come out and support us. Personally, my son and family members will be here in attendance so I will put my best foot forward and play for my country,” the skipper said.
The two teams will be clashing for the second time in four months following May’s Rugby Africa Cup in Madagascar where the hosts excelled 29-22 on Day One of the continental championships.
It was a blow to the Lionesses’ dream of a first ever World Cup appearance at next year’s edition in England.
Coach Dennis Mwanja’s charges eventually finished third, following a subsequent defeat to South Africa and a win against Cameroon.
It also put paid to their second-ever appearance at the WXV 3 Tournament in Dubai.
Chajira admits the wounds from that disappointing outing are still fresh, noting it is just as well in their quest to exert revenge against their opponents.
“We have to roar on our own turf so we are not expecting nothing but a win and to walk over them. We are still in pain that we lost to them and we didn’t qualify for the WXV 3 but we want to prove that it was just a fluke,” she said.
A source of inspiration for Chajira will be the fact that she was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the just-concluded Prinsloo 7s in Nakuru where she led her club, Impala RFC, to the National Sevens Circuit (NSC) crown.
