The mercurial Kenya Lionesses’ fly half Grace is back on the team as they head out to Tunisia for the Rugby Africa Women Sevens solidarity camp. The tournament will run for a period of ten days with two tournament weekends.
Grace has been away from the team due to school commitments but now she is fully back in action and she cannot wait to represent the country together with her teammates in the upcoming tournaments. “It’s a great feeling being back in the team, I had really missed my teammates, and being back in the setup is something I have been really looking forward to. I hope to have an impactful effect on the team when we face Tunisia and Madagascar in the next two weekends.”
Speaking at the Moi International Sports Stadium, Kasarani, where the team has been having their residential camp, Head Coach Felix Oloo said the team’s performance was making gradual improvements.
“This has been one of the best training camps we’ve had this year and I believe there will be improvements in Tunisia. There’s a tremendous improvement in fitness as well as their recovery and I am very positive that we will fly the flag high in Tunisia. Having a referee at the camp has also been very beneficial to us because as we were training he was able to advise us on the areas we need to work on and the areas where we’re executing perfectly. NOCK also scheduled a mental health session with the team and this has played a big role in building the team’s morale at the camp,” he said.
Speaking on Grace’s selection, Oloo added, “We have a profiling system that helps us rank players based on their positions, the flyhalf position has three players, Sarah Oluche, Grace Adhiambo, and Ann Gorety. After evaluating their skills, Sarah was first, Grace second and Gorety third. So the first two players in this position made the cut,”
The KRU Chairman Oduor Gangla and Director in charge of women’s rugby Moses Ndale both sent their best wishes to the team. “On behalf of the Kenya Rugby Union, I’d like to thank the Ministry of Sports, NOCK, and Sports Fund for their support towards the team as they have been in camp preparing for these tournaments. We wish the Lionesses the best as they head out to Tunisia and we trust that they will represent the country well,” said Gangla.
“I wish the team the best and I want them to know that we are fully behind them as they go out to represent the country. We are proud of the hard work they put in the training and we can’t wait to see them make us proud in Tunisia and later in Los Angeles and finally at the Olympics,” added Moses Ndale.
Lionesses squad to Tunisia.
Philadelphia Olando, Sheila Chajira, Christabel Lindo, Enid Ouma, Leah Wambui, Terry Ayesa, Janet Okello, Sarah Oluche, Grace Adhiambo, Stella Wafula, Cynthia Camilla, Sinaida Aura, Diana Awino, Celestine Masinde.
