Spirited Kenya Lionesses Fall Short as South Africa Claim Narrow 2025 Rugby Africa Women’s Cup Win

Kenya Lionesses scored two late tries towards the end of the match, but they were not enough as South Africa had to labor to a narrow win to dent a blow to their chances of lifing the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup Crown.

Kenya Lionesses’ late resurgence was not enough as South Africa were made to work hard to claim a narrow 19-12 win at the ongoing Rugby Africa Womens’ Cup tournament in Madagascar on Wednesday afternoon.

Lionesses, who are in a hunt to qualify for the 2025 WXV2 tournament after missing out on the chance to qualify for the World Cup in 2024, knew they needed to build on from their day one win over Madagascar in order to give them a foothold for the third game against Uganda.

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South Africa took the lead in the third minute after taking advantage of a lapse in concentration by the Kenyans through Aphiwe Ngwevu.

South Africa had taken the game to Kenya by pushing them back into their 22-yard-box, before winning a penalty which they quickly took to sail ahead.

The African giants would extend the lead again in the 33rd minute through Lerato Makua, after pinning the Lionesses back after being made to work hard to score a second try, though not well converted, to give them the lead heading into the break.

For Much of the second half, both teams struggled to create inroads in each other’s halves, with Kenya opting to deploy all their defensive weapons and frustrate Womensbocks, preventing them from getting time and space to make dangerous attacks.

South Africa should have made it their third try in the 66th minute through Felicia Jacobs after she found her way to maneuver into the try box from a scrum, but the Kenyans did well to deny her a third. 

The South Africans chose to deploy an attacking scrum, and although the Kenyans tried hard to prevent them from scoring a third, they would succumb in the 68th minute when Jacobs made amends by landing a well converted try to make it 19-0, leaving Lionesses with plenty of work to do.

Freshia Awino would however reduce the deficit in the 71s minute with a well converted try from the left wing after receiving a good pass from Cristabel Lindo  after Lionesses managed to outmaneuver the resolute Womens Boks defence

It was a try that would galvanise the Kenyans, as they would make it another try through Noreen Khaleyi in the 72nd minute, although not well converted following a nice switch of play from the right to the left which resulted in the Lionesses winning a penalty in a good area, which they took advantage of in the end.

However, the Lionesses could not mount a comeback, and in the end, South Africa hung on to their lead to get three crucial points.

Final Score: South Africa 19 – 12 Kenya

The result leaves the Lionesses with plenty of positives to build on ahead of their final game against regional rivals Uganda, where a win could still significantly influence their chances of qualifying for the 2025 WXV2 tournament.