This archive report was first published on 27 July 2021.
On July 27, 2021, the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) announced that head coach Paul Odera had resigned from his position as head coach of the Kenya Men's National 15s Rugby team, the Simbas.
However, in a statement to Capital Sport, Odera denied the claims, stating that he had not resigned and was still preparing the team for the 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifiers.
‘I have not resigned and as far as I am concerned I am continuing my preparations with the team for the 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifiers. I am as surprised as everyone is with the statement,’ said Odera.
Odera has been in charge of the Simbas since March 2019, taking over from Ian Snook, a New Zealander who parted ways with KRU after failing to qualify for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Under Odera's leadership, the Simbas had made significant progress, including reaching the quarterfinals of the 2022 Rugby Africa Cup, which also served as the final qualification for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
