The final qualifying tournaments ahead of the 2027 HSBC SVNS series begin in the coming weeks, with one of the highlights being the African Rugby Sevens Championship at the RFUEA Ground in Nairobi, Kenya.
The winner of the November 7-8 tournament will win the African women’s rugby sevens title and qualify for the SVNS 3 tournament to be held at the end of the month in Dubai.
The SVNS 3 qualifiers will provide an opportunity to compete for the higher levels of qualification, with this year’s defending champions, South Africa, playing in both SVNS 2 and the SVNS World Cup earlier this year.
However, the Blazeboks will enter the tournament with a big target on their back, with several nations showing promising form at Mauritius Weeks and Safari Weeks earlier this month.
Over the weekend in Nairobi, 12 nations will compete in three groups, with the contenders for South Africa’s crown including hosts Kenya, who have been drawn in Group B alongside Tunisia, Ghana and Egypt.
The pool should be one of the most hotly contested Tunisia and Uganda enjoying strong form at the Safari Sevens, finishing third and second.
However, the Lionesses are likely to be strong contenders, having just won back-to-back Safari Sevens titles and recalling several heavyweight stars to the squad, notably Grace Adhiambo, who missed the tournament due to club commitments with Racing 92.
Kenya will also be hungry for revenge after losing this match 22-0 to South Africa last year, with head coach Simon Odonga pushing to regain continental bragging rights – and expecting a tough road to do so in the pool stages.
“We are taking it one step at a time,” Odongo told The Star. “We play well in the preliminary games, then we qualify for the knockout stage and go to the final.
“The nature of the week is tricky, so we take it one match at a time and by the end of the day we want to make it to the semi-finals.
“Tunisia trained with us at the Safari Sevens and they are improving. Ghana are a physical side who are learning the game very well, while Egypt are improving.
“We played in different formations and systems in all three teams (Lionesses, Junior Lionesses and Kenya Cubs) at the Safari Sevens.
“We wanted to see them play in different positions, such as wing, center or prop, so it was a solid exercise and the bench learned a few lessons.
“She (Adhiambo) is a vital member of the team and with her history and knowledge of the game and her tactical acumen, she is an asset to the side. Her game has developed since joining France.”
The Blazeboks, meanwhile, will be heavy favorites to top Pool A, drawing surprise packages Zambia, plus Rwanda and Zimbabwe, the latter of whom also took part in the Safari Sevens.
Completing the sides in Group C will be a few more contenders to watch out for, with Uganda, Madagascar, Mauritius and Burkina Faso set for some tough clashes.
Uganda will be a side to watch, having finished runners-up at the Safari Sevens, falling 22-5 in the grand final against the Lionesses. Mauritius also finished with a silver medal in the women’s iteration of the 2026 Mauritius Week.
With Madagascar The rugby program is also growing in leaps and bounds in both the men’s and women’s tournaments, adding to the competitiveness of who will qualify for the knockout stages.
Africa Rugby Sevens Championship Pools
RFUEA Ground, Nairobi, Kenya – 7-8. November 2026
POOL A: South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda
POOL B: Kenya, Tunisia, Ghana, Egypt
POOL C: Uganda, Madagascar, Mauritius, Burkina Faso
