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Kenya Simbas stalk Senegal in Kampala

Kenya Simbas play against Senegal during Rugby Africa Cup Pool B match on July 3, 2021 at Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo I Nation Media Group

By  Geoffrey Anene

Reporter

NMG Sport

Former African champions, Kenya, will be seeking revenge when they play Senegal from midday on Saturday as the Rugby Africa Cup-cum-2027 World Cup qualifier gets underway with quarter-final matches at the 45,202-seater Mandela Stadium at Namboole in Kampala,  Uganda.

The day’s action starts with defending champions Namibia taking on Burkina Faso from 10am.

Algeria will face Cote d’Ivoire from  2pm before former winners Zimbabwe and Uganda collide at 4pm in the last fixture of the day.

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The winner of the match between Kenya and Senegal will play the winner of Algeria/Cote d’Ivoire match in the semi-final on Wednesday.

Kenya were stunned 20-19 by Senegal the last time the two nations met in a 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifier Pool “B” match at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi.

Today's match

However,  head of Kenya 15-a-side programme South African Jerome Paarwater expressed confidence in winning today’s match.

 “I’m very happy with the team we have selected for our opening match. We have selected the strongest possible team in the set-up with the understanding that this won’t be an easy match, but I’m confident that we can get points from the game,” said Paarwater.

Today’s squad has 20 players from last year’s campaign. Abutwalib Wesonga, Richel Wangila and Obat Kuke are on the brink of earning their debut as they start on the bench.

George Nyambua will captain the Simbas assisted by Eugene Sifuna and Samson Onsomu.

Onsomu, Nyambua, Ephraim Oduor, Thomas Okeyo, Griffin Musila, Bryceson Adaka and Elkeans Musonye were in the Simbas team that tasted the first defeat at the hands of Senegal the last time these two met on July 3, 2021.

 Samuel Asati, John Okoth and Brian Tanga, who were also part of that team, are now with Kenya Sevens team currently in Miramas, France preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Beaten Senegal

Kenya are ranked 34th in the world compared to Senegal’s 61st.

Kenya have beaten Senegal in their other two meetings including a 45-25 mauling in the 2017 Rugby Africa Gold Cup at RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi. 

In the headlines