Kenya Lionesses prop Naomi Amuguni believes the national women’s rugby Sevens side still have a strong chance of finishing in the top four of the 2026 HSBC Division Two Sevens Series.
This is despite a challenging start in the opening leg staged in Nairobi. The forward, who plays in the front row wearing jersey number one, said the team has drawn valuable lessons from the Nairobi round. That was the first edition of the competition hosted in Kenya under the restructured World Rugby pathway.
“It was our first experience in the Nairobi edition introduced by World Rugby, and we have learned from our mistakes,” said Amuguni.
The Lionesses, coached by Simon Odongo, entered the series with strong credentials after their success in the World Rugby Challenger Series, where Kenya famously clinched the overall title during the final leg in Los Angeles.
The result helped elevate the team into the new Sevens' second-tier competition. Despite the setback in Nairobi, Amuguni insisted the Lionesses are not on the back foot, heading into the remaining legs of the series. “We are not just on our back foot. We still have a chance to get back into the top four, and that is our focus now,” she said.
Amuguni has been a consistent presence in the national sevens set-up and plays her club rugby for Impala Saracens Women in the Kenya Rugby Union women’s circuit.
She was part of the Lionesses squad that enjoyed a historic run in the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series, where Kenya won the overall title after a strong showing in the final leg in Los Angeles, helping the team secure promotion opportunities in the global Sevens pathway.
Known for her physical presence in scrums and breakdown contests, she has featured prominently in Kenya’s recent international outings, including the Safari Sevens in Nairobi and other international assignments such as Tunisia engagements and the newly introduced HSBC Division Two Sevens Series.
Her role in the pack has been key in providing stability in set pieces while also contributing to ball retention and defensive work. This came as the Lionesses pushed to maintain competitiveness against sides such as Argentina, China and South Africa on the international stage.
The Kenyan side will next shift their attention to the Montevideo leg in Uruguay, where they will open their campaign against China and Argentina. The two sides have established themselves as competitive forces in the international women’s sevens circuit.
Amuguni noted that the squad has already reviewed their performances and identified areas of improvement to remain competitive.
“We have identified areas we need to tighten, and we are working on it,” she said.
Kenya’s objective remains clear: to secure enough points across the remaining rounds to place within the top four teams in the standings, which would keep their hopes alive in the global sevens pathway.
With the stakes high and the race for the top four tightening, the Lionesses will now look to rediscover the form that saw them conquer the Challenger Series as they chase crucial points in Montevideo before the circuit moves to its final leg in São Paulo.
The Lionesses are expected to face stiff opposition from teams such as South Africa, Argentina, China and Colombia, all of whom are chasing the same promotion opportunities within the World Rugby structure.
However, Amuguni believes the team’s resilience and ability to bounce back from difficult results will be key in Montevideo.
“For us it starts with the first match in Uruguay. We are focusing on that game and taking it step by step,” she said.
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