The Kenya Lionesses will embark on a five-day high-performance training camp in Spain from January 26 to 31 as they intensify preparations for the World Rugby Sevens Series Division Two, which begins at Nyayo Stadium next month.
The Lionesses had initially planned a similar camp in South Africa, but the trip was shelved following the Blitzboks Women’s participation in the World Sevens Series Division Three event in Dubai earlier this month. Kenya will instead travel to Alicante, where they will train and play friendly matches against Costa Blanca Barbarians.
The Spanish side won the 2024 Safari Sevens after edging the Lionesses 24–10 in an entertaining final. Interim head coach Simon Odongo said the camp will be critical as Kenya targets a strong start to the series and eventual promotion to the top tier at the end of the season.
“The camp will strengthen the team and give us a solid foundation, as well as valuable exposure,” said Odongo. “Preparation is vital, and we are not leaving anything to chance.”
Odongo identified attack as a key area for improvement following Kenya’s 22–0 loss to South Africa in the Africa Cup Sevens final at the RFUEA Ground.
“It’s an area where we struggled in the final, and we have been working on it in training,” he said. “We must be patient in the red zone and improve our execution by doing the basics right to ensure we score.”
Beyond sharpening the attack, Odongo said the team will also focus on becoming more well-rounded with the support of Spanish coaches. “We will be looking at other facets of play to ensure we are a complete team — from defence and set pieces to improving our core skills,” he noted.
A provisional 26-player squad has been in camp since mid-November, preparing for the Division Two campaign, before taking a short break over the Christmas and New Year period.
The team resumed training at the start of the year. The Lionesses will face Brazil, China and Spain in the Division Two series, which opens in Nairobi before stops in Uruguay and Brazil in March.
After the three tournaments, the top four teams from Division Two will face the bottom four teams from Division One in a promotion playoff in Bordeaux, France, in June. The winners will secure promotion ahead of the 2026–27 season, which begins in November.
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