Kenya Rugby Union has confirmed the Chipu Nairobi under 20 select and Western Region select squads that will curtain raise the Currie Cup Nairobi Series match pitting Kenya Simbas and Leopards set for Saturday.
The curtain raiser will kick off at 1:00 PM at RFUEA Grounds ahead of the Simbas match set for 4:00 PM. The Chipu Nairobi select squad has Kenya Harlequin’s Mike Wamalwa, Vincent Omondi, Iddo Kuta and Laban Kipsang among others.
The Western Region select squad on the other hand has Wycliffe Ayieko, Mike Murithi, Eugene Etale, Jibril Joseph, James Okwemba, Daniel Omondi, Victor Wawire Wanyama, Jackson Siketi and Brian Kiptanui from Koyonzo.
Maseno School’s Eugene Obat, Denzel Washingotn, Faiz Alulu, David Kododa and Cecil Kechule have also been picked for the match.
Simbas are using the Currie Cup matches to get ready for the Rugby Africa Cup 2022, which will also serve as the final round of the Rugby World Cup 2023 qualifying for African countries, will be held in France from July 1 to 10, 2022.
The competition will be hosted at Aix-en-Stade Provence’s Maurice-David and Marseille’s Stade Pierre-Delort, which hosted the RWC 2019 Final Qualification Tournament.
The Rugby Africa Cup pool stage was contested in July 2021, following the Rugby Africa Cup Repechage 2021, and determined the eight teams that will compete in the quarter-finals in France.
Namibia, who are bidding to reach a seventh successive Rugby World Cup, Senegal, Uganda and Zimbabwe qualified for the quarter-finals as pool winners. They were joined in the last eight by pool runners-up Burkina Faso, Algeria, Kenya Simbas and Ivory Coast.
Burkina Faso, ranked 91st in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings will face Namibia on Friday 1 July 2022 in the first quarterfinal match set for Stade Pierre-Delort in Marseille.
Senegal will face Algeria in the second quarterfinal at the same venue on 1 July.
Kenya Simbas will take on the Uganda Cranes on Saturday 2 July at Stade Maurice-David in Aix-en-Provence. Zimbabwe Sables will also face Ivory Coast on 2 July at the same venue.
The victor of the eight-team knockout competition will represent Africa in the RWC 2023 in France 14 months later. New Zealand, hosts France, Italy, and Uruguay are all in Pool A for the Africa 1 qualifier.
Whoever finishes as runners-up following the much-anticipated Rugby Africa Cup 2022 final on 10 July will still have a chance of qualifying for RWC 2023 through the Final Qualification Tournament.
Chipu Nairobi Select: David Mwangi (Nakuru), Habakkuk Ouma (Nakuru), Mike Wamalwa (Kenya Harlequin), Alex Owuor (Northern Suburbs), Eddy Wambugu (Shamas), Patrick Wainaina (Kenya Harlequin), Ogido Washington (Northern Suburbs), Boaz Kemei (Blak Blad), Arnold Olwande (Catholic Monks), Raphael Wanga (Zetech Oaks), Maurice Paul (Blak Blad), Zephenes Obwanga (Northern Suburbs), Kevin Mumbo (Daystar Falcons), Vincent Omondi (Kenya Harlequin), Godwin Munene (Embu), Dennis Kisingu (Upper Hill School), Jimmy Otieno (Northern Suburbs), Samwel Simwada (Impala), Mbela Dennis (Strathmore Leos), Edmond Omondi (Masinde Muliro), Iddo Kuta (Kenya Harlequin), Laban Kipsang (Kenya Harlequin), Sam Ojema (Upper Hill School), Brian Mayako (Mean Machine), George Otieno (Shamas), Randy Paul Wamah (Blak Blad)
Western Kenya U20 Select: Eugene Obat, Denzel Washingotn, Faiz Alulu, David Kododa, Cecil Kechule (Maseno School), Nickson Shevei (Vihiga Granites), Aturo Fortune, Michael Lukusi, Sam Bachai (Vihiga High School), Wandukwa Samuel (Maseno University), Andy Cole Anyangu (Chavakali High School), Hezron Kiptoo, Emmanuel Okello (Moi University), Wycliffe Ayieko, Mike Murithi, Eugene Etale, Jibril Joseph, James Okwemba, Daniel Omondi, Victor Wawire Wanyama, Jackson Siketi, Brian Kiptanui (Koyonzo High School), Robin Lihigu, Chris Kenneth (St Mary’s Yala), Rayvon Ambale (Butula High School
