Financial constraints threaten Simbas’ Repechage campaign yet again

Different day, same challenges for the men’s national rugby 15s side Kenya Simbas.

Mozzart Sport has learnt that financial constraints are once again threatening to ruin the team’s final preparation plans for the ultimate 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifying tournament – The Repechage – scheduled to take place in Dubai from 6-18 November 2022.

According to the initial laid down plans, the Paul Odera currently coached side were supposed to commence training for the four team tournament this coming week by going into a local camp but those plans have been called off after the latest financial predicament.

Back in June, just before the 2022 Rugby Africa Cup tournament where Kenya missed out on an automatic ticket to the World Cup after suffering a 36-0 defeat against Namibia in the final, the Simbas faced similar financial challenges that forced them to fundraise from its fans before getting a hefty 10 million sponsorship boon from The Hildana Lodge who salvaged their struggles.

After the tournament though, the team cancelled its 2022 Elgon Cup commitment against Uganda after Kenya Rugby Union cited finance as the reason for pulling out of the fierce East African rivalry.

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The latest financial constraint comes as another blow to a promising team closing in on making history by qualifying for the Rugby World Cup for the first time ever.

“We had planned to start training on Monday this coming week but we will not be able to do that because of financial constraints,” Odera told Mozzart Sport.

The head coach further divulged the team’s full training itinerary which includes the Simbas travelling down to South Africa once again for close to a month as part of their preparations.

From South Africa, the team would organize an international friendly in the country against a side ranked around mid-20s in front of home fans before traveling to Dubai to face Portugal, USA and Hong Kong.

“The tentative plan was to have a local camp for a week, go home for two weeks then have another camp for a week before flying to South Africa in October for three to four weeks. From there, we would come back and have a game against a strong international team in front of our fans before we go to Dubai for the Repechage,” he said.

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The only conundrum for Odera and his charges remains whether Kenya Rugby Union will be able to get the finances much needed to facilitate the build up to the tournament.

“We need about 38 million shillings for our plans. That is our biggest challenge,” he concluded

In Dubai, the four teams will face each other in a round-robin format with the team accruing the most competition points securing the last place at France 2023 where they will take their place in Pool C alongside Wales, Australia, Fiji and Georgia.

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