In the ongoing World Rugby WXV3 tournament in Dubai, the Kenyan national women’s rugby 15s side, the Lionesses, demonstrated remarkable resilience in their second match but fell short, losing 18-12 to Kazakhstan.
The Lionesses faced a tough challenge from the onset, as Kazakhstan took an early lead. Daiana Kazibekova scored for the Kazakh team in the 4th minute, and Tatyana Dadajanova added another try in the 21st minute, giving the opponents a 10-0 lead at halftime.
Grace Adhiambo’s introduction in the second half ignited a resurgence in the Lionesses’ play. Her efforts aimed to motivate her teammates for an all-out offensive against Kazakhstan.
In the 48th minute, a temporary setback occurred when Adhiambo was shown a yellow card for dangerous play after a TMO review.
Kazakhstan immediately capitalized on their numerical advantage, with Yeva Bekker scoring her team’s third try, which was duly converted, extending the lead to 15-0. Adhiambo returned to the pitch in the 60th minute, aiming to lead her teammates in a comeback.
Nevertheless, Kazakhstan managed to further extend their lead when Kundyzay Baktybayeva scored a penalty goal in the 63rd minute, despite Adhiambo’s protests to the referee. At this point, it appeared as if the Lionesses were headed for another challenging defeat, following their 32-0 loss to Spain in their first match.
However, the Lionesses began a spirited comeback. In the 65th minute, Adhiambo, who joined the 15s squad after captaining the 7s side in last weekend’s Rugby Africa 7s Olympics qualifiers, showcased her skill by fending off two opponents before passing to Stella Wafula. Wafula’s blistering run through the Kazakh backline earned Kenya the second try of the game.
Adhiambo stepped up to convert the resultant penalty, and the Lionesses sensed an opportunity for victory. In the 73rd minute, Priscah Nyerere added her name to the scoreboard with a diagonal run onto the left flank, securing Kenya’s second try and reducing the score to 18-12.
With the spirit of Mashujaa Day driving them, the Lionesses relentlessly pressured their opponents in the opponent’s 22.
However, their hopes of a last-minute victory were dashed due to a turnover in possession. Coach Paul ‘Pau’ Murunga’s charges are eager to redeem themselves when they face Colombia in their next match next Friday.
