Who Will Claim Africa’s Women’s Ticket To World Rugby HSBC SVNS 3?

NAIROBI, Kenya – The 2026 Africa Women’s Sevens will see 11 teams battle for the continental title, with a place in World Rugby HSBC SVNS 3 at stake on 7 and 8 November at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi, Kenya.

Hosts Kenya, the highest-ranked side in Pool B, are among the continent’s top teams targeting SVNS 3 qualification next weekend.

The Lionesses have left no stone unturned in their bid to return to the international sevens circuit.

They have been preparing for this important tournament for months and are in good nick. All that is left for the hosts is to execute over the two days, and home-crowd advantage will definitely count for the Kenyans.

“I urge all the fans to come and support us,” says Kenya head coach Simon Odongo. “Come and be the extra player and push us to win gold.”

North African side Tunisia, together with Ghana, complete Pool B.

The battle for SVNS 3 will have another top contender in Pool C favourites Uganda, perennially one of the most competitive teams in this tournament.

This year’s showdown in Nairobi will be no exception for head coach Charles Onen’s charges.

“Our goal is to qualify for the SVNS 3 and get back to a stage we’ve played before, and learnt a lot,” Onen tells RA Media.

“It definitely requires our best performance.”

But Uganda are not the only standout team in Pool C.

They will have to contend with a hard-running and skilful Madagascar outfit in Pool C before they can think of challenging for honours in the knockout stages.

“This competition will also be an opportunity for us to develop by competing at a high level, while allowing us to objectively assess our potential, our strengths, and the areas we need to improve in the long term,” said Ando Niaina Herimahefa, the Malagasy Rugby Federation’s Women’s Rugby Manager.

“Of course, we approach this competition with ambition and determination, ready to seize any opportunity to qualify for the SVNS 3.”

Mauritius and Burkina Faso complete Pool C.

Zimbabwe will be looking to build on the country’s recent success in men’s rugby sevens, but the focus now shifts to the women’s competition, where teams across the continent will be aiming to make their mark.

Will Zimbabwe’s women replicate the success of their compatriots and make it a double for the Southern African nation?

Zimbabwe Women’s coach, Cyprian Mandenge, is optimistic but remains modest about his team’s ambitions.

“Obviously every coach wants to go and win a tournament,” Mandenge tells Rugby Africa Media.

“So that’s our wish, and you know with Sevens anything is possible. We would like to win that tournament. But if that doesn’t happen, we would like to at least finish in the top six.”

Mandenge has also acknowledged the “pressure” on his team following the successes of Zimbabwe’s men’s teams in both formats of the game over the past year.

“Obviously we’re under a bit of pressure. The men’s sides have done really well for the country. The Sables are going to the World Cup. The Cheetahs (Men’s Sevens team) have done really well to win the Africa Men’s Sevens in Uganda to qualify for the SVNS 3. So now, the ladies teams also want to do well. But like I mentioned at some point before, investment is key, resources are key for a team to do well. But look, we can’t keep on talking about resources, we should talk about what we have at the moment, and work with what we have. We will give all we have, give our best shot for the country, and hopefully with good results we’ll start seeing people coming through to support us.”

The Zimbabweans have been placed in a tough Pool A alongside South Africa, Zambia and Rwanda.

The Springbok Women’s Sevens ‘A’ team will come into the tournament aiming to make their mark, with South Africa having won the continental title 13 times since the tournament was first played in 2006.

Only Tunisia in 2012 and Kenya in 2018 have interrupted South Africa’s run in the 15 editions of the competition.

South Africa’s women, who already feature in a higher division of the HSBC SVNS Series, are not in the equation for qualification to SVNS 3 through the Nairobi tournament.

That place is reserved for the best-placed team in this year’s tournament outside South Africa.

Nevertheless, the Springbok Women’s Sevens ‘A’ will be looking to challenge for the title and continue South Africa’s strong record in the Africa Women’s Sevens.

South Africa’s coach, Cecil Afrika, is excited to return to Kenya, an old stomping ground for the former World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year.

“As a player, you learn and grow from tournaments like these and that is exactly what I wish our young squad will do next week,” Afrika tells Rugby Africa Media.

Pool A

• South Africa
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe
• Rwanda

Pool B

• Kenya
• Tunisia
• Ghana

Pool C

• Uganda
• Madagascar
• Mauritius
• Burkina Faso

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Where to watch?

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

Rugby Africa YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/RugbyAfricaOfficial

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

Saturday, 7 November 2026 (EAT)

• 09:00 – Madagascar v Mauritius (Pool C)
• 09:22 – Uganda v Burkina Faso (Pool C)
• 09:44 – Tunisia v Ghana (Pool B)
• 10:06 – Zambia v Zimbabwe (Pool A)
• 10:28 – South Africa v Rwanda (Pool A)
• 11:44 – Madagascar v Burkina Faso (Pool C)
• 12:06 – Uganda v Mauritius (Pool C)
• 12:50 – Zambia v Rwanda (Pool A)
• 13:12 – South Africa v Zimbabwe (Pool A)
• 13:34 – Kenya v Ghana (Pool B)
• 14:50 – Mauritius v Burkina Faso (Pool C)
• 15:12 – Uganda v Madagascar (Pool C)
• 15:56 – South Africa v Zambia (Pool A)
• 16:18 – Zimbabwe v Rwanda (Pool A)
• 16:40 – Kenya v Tunisia (Pool B)

Sunday, 8 November 2026 (EAT)

• 09:00 – B1 v Best 3rd (Cup Quarter-Final 1)
• 09:22 – C1 v A2 (Cup Quarter-Final 2)
• 09:44 – B2 v C2 (Cup Quarter-Final 3)
• 10:06 – A1 v 2nd Best 3rd (Cup Quarter-Final 4)
• 10:28 – 3rd Best 3rd v 3rd Best 4th (9th Place Semi-Final 1)
• 10:50 – Best 4th v 2nd Best 4th (9th Place Semi-Final 2)
• 12:07 – Loser Match 19 v Loser Match 20 (5th Place Semi-Final 1)
• 12:29 – Loser Match 21 v Loser Match 22 (5th Place Semi-Final 2)
• 12:51 – Winner Match 19 v Winner Match 20 (Cup Semi-Final 1)
• 13:13 – Winner Match 21 v Winner Match 22 (Cup Semi-Final 2)
• 13:35 – Loser Match 23 v Loser Match 24 (11th Place Final)
• 13:57 – Winner Match 23 v Winner Match 24 (9th Place Final)
• 14:59 – Loser Match 25 v Loser Match 26 (7th Place Final)
• 15:24 – Winner Match 25 v Winner Match 26 (5th Place Final)
• 15:53 – Loser Match 28 v Loser Match 27 (Bronze Final)
• 16:32 – Winner Match 28 v Winner Match 27 (Gold Final)

Written by Enock Muchinjo