Our target is to play in HSBC Sevens Circuit – Wambua

Kenya Lionesses head coach Kevin ‘Bling’ Wambua has said their target is to play in HSBC World Women’s Rugby Circuit next season.

Wambua’s charges  defeated neighbours Uganda 29-7 in the 2018 Africa Women’s 7s final on Sunday in Gaborone, Botswana and will be among the participants at the 2019 Hong Kong 7s which also acts as a qualifier to the Women’s World 7s Series.

“Winning the women’s competition and being the best team in Africa is the beginning of hard work for us, we know our goals and we have set our target which is to play in the HSBC Women’s circuit next season. For us this is just the beginning of hard work.”

Speaking at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport upon the team’s return on Monday night, Lionesses skipper Philadelphia Olando expressed her delight at lifting the crown after four successive failed attempts, where they compete in the final only to fall at the last hurdle.

She said: “It took teamwork and dedication to win the trophy, I believed in our team, we believed in ourselves and this time round we resolved to bring the trophy home.”

Olando also believes the team has rectified the mistakes they made in the 2018 Commonwealth Games held in Gold Coast, Australia and this was the catalyst to the Sunday win.

The Sunday victory handed the Lionesses their first ever continental title.

Defending champions South Africa never participated in this year’s edition and preferred to stay in camp as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup Sevens in San Francisco, USA in July.