NAIROBI, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Kenya international women's rugby player Sheila Chajira has reclaimed her spot in the team after recovering from an ankle injury she picked in April.
Chajira, who sustained the damage during the Hong Kong Sevens where her side fell to Brazil in the semifinals, makes her return to the Kenya squad that will head to South Africa for the Rugby World Cup Qualifiers in Johannesburg.
"I am very excited to be actively back in the team. I have been attending training sessions as I undertook my recovery and I strongly believe that we shall deliver," Chajira said in a statement issued on Friday.
Chajira's experience on the big stage also gives Kenya's management more options when it comes to center pairings.
As part of their preparation for the tournament, the team participated in this year's Elgon Cup, and emerged victorious in both home-and-away matches over opponents and neighbors Uganda by a 77-18 aggregate margin.
Kenya will kick off their campaign against Madagascar on August 9 and face Uganda on August 13 for the third time this year, before wrapping up the tournament against hosts South Africa on August 17.
As there is not yet an established African ranking for women's 15-a-side rugby, the four teams were chosen on the basis of the level and frequency of play of the players.
The winner of the tournament will qualify directly for the World Cup, while the second-best team faces a playoff against a South American side for a place in the global repechage tournament.
