Head coach Jerome Paawater is set to announce his squad for the upcoming Rugby World Cup qualifiers in Nairobi. Kenya will face Namibia, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe in the Confederation of Africa Rugby Division 1A Championship, which doubles as the Africa Cup.
The team's campaign begins against Namibia on Saturday, followed by matches against Madagascar on July 2nd and Zimbabwe on July 6th. The current African Cup champions are looking to qualify for the 2015 Rugby World Cup finals in England.
Squad Boosted by Key Players ¶
The squad has been strengthened by the return of Humphrey Kayange, who is making a comeback to the longer version of the game after a two-year absence. Kayange last represented Kenya during the Four Nations tournament in December 2011.
"Kenya 15s team can qualify for the 2015 Rugby World Cup finals in England only if we have self-belief, but we have to put all our hands in and make our chances to the RWC finals a reality."
Kayange, a former presidential Order of Golden Warriors (OGW) award winner, expressed his confidence in the team's ability to qualify for the World Cup.
Another notable addition to the squad is France-based winger William Ambaka, who plays for Lyon Olympic University. Ambaka is making a comeback to the national team after helping Kenya finish fourth in the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow last year.
The team, which includes regulars such as Collins Injera, Oscar Ouma, Biko Adema, and Andrew Amonde, is training at the Barclays Sports Club. They have lined up two friendly matches against Portugal in preparation for the qualifiers.
Qualification Path ¶
Kenya needs to win the group to qualify automatically for the World Cup finals. The runner-up will face a European team in a playoff match. Only Madagascar, Zimbabwe, and Namibia stand in Kenya's way.
