ACCRA, Ghana- The biggest prize at the historic Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens taking place here in Ghana at the weekend is, of course, the right to be called champions of the continent come Sunday November 10. 

But that’s not all. There is another intriguing sub-plot in the tournament, and all the 12 teams involved are no less aware of. Finishing in the top three will guarantee qualification for the women’s Challenger Series next year. 

However, during the pre-tournament captains’ photoshoot at the Independence Square in Accra Friday morning, the skippers revealed realistic expectations of their teams ahead of what promises to be blockbuster action on Saturday and Sunday at the University of Ghana Stadium. 

 

Laurence Rasoanandrasana, the Madagascar captain, will not be satisfied with anything below a podium finish in the Ghanaian capital. 

“It’s a Malagasy heritage to be part of the best in African rugby,” Rasoanandrasana told Rugby Africa. 

“So the objective is to be among the top three and qualify for the 2025 Challenger Series.” 

Kenya, among the best sides on the continents, are targeting not only a Challenger Series slot, but the title itself. 

“Definitely we want to win the Africa Cup,” declared Kenyan skipper Sheila Chajira. “Secondly, we want to qualify for the Challenger Series, and also just enjoy the tournament.” 

Champions South Africa always shine bright in tournaments of this magnitude – they definitely know how to put on a show for the spectators. They are, however, ahead of this tournament, “focusing” more on their own game mindful that their closest rivals will attempt to exploit the slightest of weakness in their chain. 

“We are just trying to focus on our game, we know every nation has improved,” said the Blitzboks Women captain Mathrin Simmers. 

“We just want to focus on our processes and stick to our strategies.” 

The South Africans, while remaining modest despite their much higher profile, regards the tournament in Ghana as early preparations for the Challenger Series whose ticket they are confident of securing. 

Said Simmers: “Our objective is to finish first and set the platform for the (Challenger) Series.” 

For Ghanaian host captain Paulina Mensah, staging West Africa’s first Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens event is an extra motivation. 

“We are very proud to be hosting this big tournament,” Mensah said. “I know the crowds will have good fun, and that Ghana is going to host a memorable Africa Cup. As for the Ghana team, we are going to give our 1 000 percent. We’re gaining as a team, and we have a new coach who we are learning a great deal from.” 

Veronica Lungu will lead Zambia onto the park in this tournament and she too isn’t feeling intimidated by any of the other sides in Accra. 

“We are here to work hard, compete and win,” she said. “We are not here just to participate, we are here to compete.” 

Erika Mack, Zimbabwe’s skipper, knows as well that failure to secure a World Sevens Challenger Series will not be well received back home. 

“The aim is to obviously try to qualify for the Challenger Series by all means,” Mack remarked. 

Mack particularly singled out neighbors South Africa as an obvious threat in the tournament. 

“The biggest challenge is SA. They are faster with ball in hand, and they have good balance between defense and attack.” 

Oumayma Dziri, Tunisia’s captain, is also bullish on the North Africans’ aim of a respectable position. 

 “It’s very realistic for us to finish in the top three,” she said. “We’ve been in the top three in the last four years. And in the last few years we’ve bloodied in a good number of gifted younger player, which gives me reason to believe.” 

While conceding that a Challenger Series qualification finish will be a mountain to climb for her side, Senegalese skipper Fatoumata Bah doesn’t want to be far down the standings.  

 “We have worked very hard on our game,” she said. “But we view a top five finish as a good thing for us. For us, to be honest, top five is good enough.” 

Côte d’Ivoire skipper Lamoine Adeline also spoke of reduced expectations, noting that the Ivorians are going through a rebuilding phase.  

 “The fight is to finish in the top 8, we have a new team,” Adeline said. “We have to be realistic, we know the level that’s needed to be among the top three. If we can finish in the top eight, we then build on from there next year.” 

Yvette Sawadogo of Burkina Faso said a top eight position was also the target for her team.  

Uganda and Mauritius were not represented at the captain-shoot on Friday due to travel delays. But the Ugandans’ captain Peace Lekuru spoke at a second-off function in Kampala on Thursday.  

“We’ve trained enough as the Lady Cranes since we returned from the Safari Sevens,” said Lekuru. “So we are not taking this tournament for granted. We have set our realistic goals into Accra.” 

Mauritius is one of the sides also expected to set targets based on development and moving forward.  

Organized by Rugby Africa (www.rugbyafrique.com), the continental governing body of Rugby across Africa, in partnership with the Government of Ghana, the 2024 tournament brings together 12 national women’s teams at full strength, featuring nations such 2023 reigning champions South Africa, Kenya, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Ghana, Mauritius, Uganda, Zambia, Senegal and Cote d’ Ivoire from Saturday November 9 to Sunday November 10. Three winning nations of the 2024 tournament will qualify for the 2025 Challenger Series, a World Rugby International Competition.  

 

The 2024 tournament is accessible to the public with free admission. All 34 matches will be available for free streaming on RugbyPass TV(https://rugbypass.tv/home), Rugby Africa’s Official YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/RugbyAfrique and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/RugbyAfrique) as well as be available for broadcast on SuperSport. 

 

Streaming:

SuperSport: OTT 950 

Rugby Pass TV: https://rugbypass.tv/home 

Rugby Africa Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RugbyAfrique 

Rugby Africa YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RugbyAfrique 

 

Pool A: South Africa, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso  

Pool B: Kenya, Madagascar, Ghana, Mauritius 

Pool C: Uganda, Zambia, Senegal, Côte D’Ivoire 

 

Match Day 1: Saturday 9 November 2024 (Local Ghana Time) (GMT) 

• Game 1: Zambia vs Senegal (9:00) 

• Game 2: Uganda vs Cote d’Ivoire (9:22) 

• Game 3: Ghana vs Madagascar (9:44) 

• Game 4: Kenya vs Mauritius (10:06) 

• Game 5: Tunisia vs Zimbabwe (10:28) 

• Game 6: South Africa vs Burkina Faso (10:50) 

• Game 7: Zambia vs Côte d’Ivoire (11:44) 

• Game 8: Uganda vs Senegal (12:06) 

• Game 9: Madagascar vs Mauritius (12:28) 

• Game 10: Kenya vs Ghana (12:50) 

• Game 11: Tunisia vs Burkina Faso (13:12) 

• Game 12: South Africa vs Zimbabwe (13:34)  

• Game 13: Senegal vs Cote d’Ivoire (14:50) 

• Game 14: Uganda vs Zambia (15:12) 

• Game 15: Kenya vs Madagascar (15:34) 

• Game 16: Zimbabwe vs Burkina Faso (15:56) 

• Game 17: South Africa vs Tunisia (16:18) 

• Game 18: Ghana vs Mauritius (16:40) 

 

 Written by Enock Muchinjo 

Media Contact:  

Nicole Vervelde
Communications Advisor 

 nicole.vervelde@rugbyafrique.com  

About Rugby Africa:  

Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com) is the governing body of rugby in Africa and one of the regional associations under World Rugby. It unites all African countries that play rugby union, rugby sevens, and women’s rugby. Rugby Africa organizes various competitions, including the qualifying tournaments for the Rugby World Cup and the Africa Sevens, a qualifying competition for the Olympic Games. With 39 member unions, Rugby Africa is dedicated to promoting and developing rugby across the continent. World Rugby highlighted Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia as three of the six emerging nations experiencing strong growth in rugby.