National Women’s 7s team, the Kenya Lionesses registered their second defeat at the Los Angeles Sevens, falling 28-10 to a strong Brazilian side in their Pool A clash of the HSBC Challenger Series playoffs.
This was Lionesses second loss as they had earlier suffered a 33-14 defeat to Spain in their opening match.
LIONESSES BRIGHT START
The Dennis Mwanja charges started brightly, with Sheila Chajira scoring a try in the third minute, although Sinaida Nyachio was unable to add the conversion.
Brazil responded quickly, with Bianca Silva crossing the line in the fifth minute and Raquel Kochhann converting to give Brazil a 7-5 lead.
Brazil continued to dominate, as Camilla Carvalho scored in the seventh minute, once again converted by Kochhann. After the break, Raquel Kochhann added a try of her own in the 10th minute and converted it to extend Brazil’s advantage.
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Kenya’s troubles deepened when Phoebe Otieno received a yellow card in the 13th minute, allowing Brazil to capitalize with another try by Camilla Carvalho in the 14th minute, successfully converted by Kochhann.
Despite being under pressure, Kenya managed a late consolation when Sinaida Nyachio touched down, but her conversion attempt was unsuccessful. The match ended with Brazil securing a 28-10 victory.
Lionesses will now be aiming for a stronger finish when they face Colombia in their final Pool A match scheduled for 8:44 AM.
Following recent changes introduced by World Rugby to the HSBC SVNS Circuit, the top four teams from the playoffs will secure promotion to the 2026 HSBC SVNS Division 2, making the next fixture crucial for Kenya’s hopes in the knockout rounds.
