Kenya Simbas have begun their preparations for the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup (RAC), set to be hosted in Uganda this July, by assembling a 47-man squad for an alignment camp in Kakamega.
The camp, which kicked off on Sunday, January 26, will run until Thursday as Kenya looks to refine its squad ahead of the crucial continental tournament.
With the winner of the RAC securing direct qualification to the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, the Simbas are determined to put on a stronger performance than last year, when they finished fourth after falling to Namibia in the third-place playoff.
Hosts Uganda finished fifth in that edition, while Zimbabwe clinched the title with a victory over Algeria in the final.
This year’s training camp features a mix of seasoned players and promising new talent from Kenya’s domestic league.
Among the fresh faces are Collins Indeche from Kabras RFC, Charles Odhiambo of Nondies RFC, Destorius Ifedha from Menengai Oilers, and Celestine Mboi of Menengai Oilers, all of whom have impressed in the early stages of the season.
The squad also includes several foreign-based players bringing international experience, such as Cornelius Mokoro from CSA Steaua in Romania, Andrew Siminyu from the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, and Melvin Thairu from SCM Rugby Timisoara in Romania.
Kenya’s preparations come with a clear focus on improving their performance from last year and challenging for the RAC title.
With Uganda hosting the tournament, the Simbas will not only have to contend with familiar rivals like Namibia and Zimbabwe but also navigate the added challenge of playing on their neighbors’ turf.
The runner-up of the 2025 RAC will still have a shot at World Cup qualification through a pre-repechage playoff against an Asian team.
