The Kenya Under-18 rugby team is preparing for two major tournaments this year: the first Africa School Games from July 5-13 and the Africa Youth Games in Luanda, Angola, from December 1-7. Ronald Okoth, the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) development officer, highlighted that these events offer a great opportunity to compete against the best teams on the continent.
The players, selected during last year’s regional and national school championships, are excited about the upcoming competitions, with most of them still eligible for the tournaments. While the team missed out on the CotCo Cup in Zimbabwe due to financial challenges, Okoth is confident the necessary resources will be available for the upcoming events.
The tournaments are seen as key preparation for the Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal, in 2026. Okoth believes the vibrant national schools rugby system will ensure the team is competitive.
In other rugby news, Ntabeni Dukisa was named Kabras Player of the Year, beating out Patrick Sabatia and Walter Okoth. Kabras also successfully defended their Kenya and Enterprise Cups, defeating Menengai Oilers in both finals.
