‘We can dare dream’ – states Odera ahead of Simbas World Cup qualifiers

Paul Odera, head coach of the national men’s rugby 15s side, Kenya Simbas, has confidently stated that the team is fully ready to take part in the crucial African 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifiers that are set to take place in France from 1-10 July.

Speaking after the team’s brilliant comeback against Eastern Province Elephants on Saturday, where the Simbas came from trailing 0-17 after fifteen minutes and 13-24 at the break and finally winning 41-24 at the full time whistle, Odera confidently backed his charging pack ahead of the tournament where only the winner is guaranteed a direct ticket in Pool A alongside three-time winners New Zealand, hosts France, Italy and the Americas 1 qualifier.

Charging Simbas deliver stunning comeback against Elephants

“We are ready for the qualifiers. These boys are fit, powerful and can go on for all the 80 minutes. Our physical conditioning and mental strength has greatly improved. You can see they are comfortable with each other even when someone makes a mistake they encourage rather than reprimand,” Odera noted.

“Our skillset has vastly improved as well. These boys could not scrummage well before but our scrummages against Leopards and Elephants were big. We held our own and it puts us in good place at the World Cup qualifier. Senegal caused us some problems in the Rugby Africa 2021 in that area but we can now get the job done,” he added.

Additionally, the head coach praised the team for the resilience in the match and thanked the fans for supporting the team during the two Currie Cup Division One games held in Nairobi.

“To come from 17-0 down is a credit to the boys. It shows their mentality and resilience is coming through from all the coaching and all the condition has been going on,”

“The boys now deserve a break. It has been a long slog for the team down in South Africa and these two Currie Cup Games in Nairobi. To the Kenyan fans and everyone who came out to thank the team, mine is a heartfelt thank you,” he said.

In the eight team 2022 Rugby Africa Cup that serves as the 2023 RWC qualifier, there will be four quarter final matches to be played. Simbas will take on rivals Uganda in quarter final 4 as both sides seek to make their very first appearance in the showpiece tournament.

The other teams that will join the neighbouring East African nations in the quarter finals are Namibia, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Algeria, Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso.

The loser of the Rugby Africa Cup final will still have another chance to qualify for France 2023 via the Final Qualification Tournament in November 2022.

Quarter Final Fixtures

QF 1: Namibia vs Burkina Faso

QF 2: Zimbabwe vs Cote d’Ivoire

QF 3: Senegal vs Algeria

QF 4: Uganda vs Kenya