NAIROBI, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's women rugby head coach Felix Oloo says all the three matches against their opponents will be treated as finals in their quest for the 2021 Africa Women's Rugby World Cup qualifier ticket.
Kenya departs for Johannesburg on Tuesday confident to leave a mark and secure the first ticket for the World Cup by winning against rivals Madagascar, Uganda and hosts South Africa.
According to the fixture schedule released by Kenya Rugby Union, the east African side will launch their campaign against Madagascar on Friday before taking on Uganda on Aug. 13 and South Africa on Aug. 17.
"We have three finals against Madagascar, Uganda and South Africa," said Oloo on Tuesday in Nairobi.
"We will take each game with the seriousness it takes. Our goal is to go step by step. I don't want the girls to go to South Africa knowing they are one of the favorites. We have to play every game with its seriousness."
The winner of the tournament will qualify directly to the World Cup to be held in New Zealand while the second best team will play a match against a selected team from South America and join the global repechage tournament if victorious.
Oloo has also recalled utility players Sheila Chajira, who has won the battle against injury.
Captain Phila Olando is optimistic Kenya team, Lionesses, will qualify for the 2021 Rugby World Cup.
"This team has potential and together we have worked hard. Kenya is ready to face anyone. Madagascar will be a hard team to break down being our first match, but we have to keep the focus. Nobody will underrate them. We've played Uganda but we will forget whatever happened in Kampala at the Elgon Cup. We are going to New Zealand in 2021," said Olando. Enditem
