Playing with nothing to lose but bragging rights, the Kenya Lionesses were defeated by South Africa for the third consecutive time in the Rugby Africa Women’s 7s tournament, losing 22-0 on Sunday evening at the RFUEA Grounds in the 2025 edition.
This final was a repeat of the 2023 and 2024 deciders, where South Africa has consistently prevailed over the Kenya Lionesses.
The victory held greater significance for the Springbok women, who needed the win to secure a ticket to the HSBC Sevens Series third division, a pathway that ultimately serves as the Challenger series for promotion to the second tier.
Since the Kenya Lionesses already reside in that second division, they were primarily seeking local glory, but South Africa halted that ambition.
South Africa, who had not conceded a single point throughout the tournament, struck first just seconds before halftime.
The Lionesses had gained the upper hand and were pressing for the lead, but the South African defense held firm.
The momentum shifted dramatically when Shiniqwa Lamprecht spotted a vast gap on the right wing, surging through to evade Edith Nariaka, a substitute for the injured Janet Okello, and score, securing a 7-0 lead at the break.
The Springbok Women began the second half with renewed intensity, extending their advantage to 12-0 following a well-executed try in the left corner by Simamkele Namba.
They maintained relentless pressure, completely overwhelming the Lionesses with their formidable defense.
Just as the Kenya Lionesses tried to find their rhythm and get on the scoreboard, they were stunned by another lightning-fast try from the record champions.
Patience Mokone broke through the defensive line and touched down, widening the gap to a commanding 17-0 lead.
The Cecil Afrika-led squad added one final try, sealing a comprehensive 22-0 victory to book their place in the HSBC Series third division.
For Kenya, the loss marks a third straight finals defeat, once again denying them the chance to be crowned champions of Africa.
