Following their historic first international tournament victory, the Kenya Lionesses are heading into the second leg of the 2025 HSBC Challenger Series as the top-seeded team. The highly anticipated tournament will take place next weekend at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa.
The Lionesses made history with a thrilling 17-12 triumph over Argentina in the first-leg final, securing their maiden title in the series. Now, they are placed in Pool A alongside Uganda and Belgium as they set their sights on another dominant performance.
Kenya will be eager to settle the score against Belgium, who ended their World Series playoff hopes last year with a 26-7 defeat in the third-place playoff in Poland. Meanwhile, the Lionesses have consistently outperformed Uganda in recent encounters, including a commanding 19-0 victory in the Africa Cup 7s semi-finals in Accra, Ghana— a win that ensured Kenya’s direct qualification for the Challenger Series.
Uganda, however, will be looking to carry forward their momentum after a strong 17-7 victory over Japan in the seventh-place playoff. Belgium also showed resilience, finishing ninth after a 19-12 win against Hong Kong China.
The Cape Town leg of the series promises fierce competition, with top teams vying for qualification. Pool B features Argentina, Czechia, and Hong Kong China, while Pool C consists of hosts South Africa, Poland, and Samoa. Pool D is made up of Colombia, Thailand, and Mexico.
The HSBC Challenger Series includes back-to-back events in Cape Town, culminating in a final leg in Krakow, Poland, on April 11-12. The top four men’s and women’s teams with the highest cumulative points across all three rounds will advance to the HSBC SVNS Play-Offs in Los Angeles on May 3-4. There, they will compete against the bottom four teams from HSBC SVNS 2025 for a chance to secure a place in future SVNS tournaments.
HSBC Sevens Challenger 2025 Schedule
Cape Town, South Africa | March 1-2
Cape Town, South Africa | March 7-8
Krakow, Poland | April 11-12
Los Angeles, USA | May 3-4 (HSBC SVNS Play-Offs)
Women’s Pools
Pool A: Kenya, Uganda, Belgium
Pool B: Argentina, Czechia, Hong Kong China
Pool C: South Africa, Poland, Samoa
Pool D: Colombia, Thailand, Mexico
With their recent success fueling their confidence, the Kenya Lionesses are determined to make another statement on the global stage as they chase Challenger Series glory.
