A 39-0 defeat to South Africa on Saturday may have cost Kenya the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup title but it did not harm their chances of climbing to a new all-time high of 25th in the World Rugby Women’s Rankings.
With 16 places and more than 21 rating points between the side’s before kick-off, no points were lost as a result of the defeat meaning they ended the week in profit having picked up a quarter of a point for their 35-5 win over Uganda in the second round of the competition on Tuesday.
By improving their score to 46.71 points, Kenya move above Jamaica, Denmark and Fiji and into the top 25 ranked nations for the first time.
South Africa qualify directly for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand as regional champions while Kenya will now contest a play-off against the winner of South American qualifier for a right to compete in the global repechage that will determine the final qualifier.
In the other Rugby Africa Women's Cup match, Madagascar and Uganda played out a 15-15 draw.
Madagascar dropped 0.15 of a point and two places to 43rd over the course of the week with fellow African nations, Zimbabwe and Botswana, the sides to benefit.
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Unlike the men’s team, New Zealand’s Black Ferns remain firmly rooted to the top of the rankings after they stretched their winning run against Australia to 19 tests with a 37-8 victory in Auckland. Australia stay in seventh place.
The Blacks Ferns had already retained the Laurie O’Reilly Trophy following their 47-10 in the first encounter in Perth.
Number eight Charmaine McMenamin was again in prime form and capped her second consecutive player of the match award with another try to add to the brace she scored a week ago.
