Kenya Lionesses play tough France, New Zealand in Pool B

History beckons for Kenya Lionesses when they start their campaign for the Olympic medal against World Cup losing finalists New Zealand in a Pool “B” match on Saturday from 5.30pm at Deodoro Stadium.

They will play an equally experienced France at 10pm before completing their pool action against Spain on Sunday at 5pm. World champions Australia highlight Pool “A” that also has USA, Fiji and Colombia. Pool “C” has Canada, England, Brazil and Japan.

Kenya Lionesses are the second women’s side competing in team sport to have made it to the Olympics after the women’s volleyball team which featured at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and 2004 Games in Athens.

The Lionesses road to Rio wasn’t an easy ride. The team finished runners-up at the 2015 Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens Championships, with only the top team, South Africa, assured of automatic qualification to the Olympics.

But winners South Africa withdrew from the Games, handing Kenya a chance.

The Lionesses might have failed to qualify for the 2016/2017 World Sevens Series but an invitation to the just-concluded 2015/2016 season in France, proved vital as it gave the team the exposure they needed ahead of Rio.

The team competed in the Hong Kong Sevens where they lost to France 5-22.

Kenya will be banking on experienced players like former skippers Doreen Remour and Celestine Masinde, Philadelphia Orlando and current skipper Catherine Abilla.

Abilla is optimistic the players will give a good account of themselves. “We’re going to show we’re also a force to reckon with against these tough sides,” she said.

Pool A: Australia, USA, Fiji, Colombia

Pool B: New Zealand, France, Spain, Kenya

Pool C: Canada, Great Britain, Brazil, Japan