Why Kenya Simbas will play UAE ahead of Rugby Africa Cup
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Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 15.05.25. | 16:50
The Simbas are currently in camp in Kakamega, where their head coach, Jerome Paarwater, has assembled a squad of 50 players
The national rugby men's 15s team, Kenya Simbas, are set to host the United Arab Emirates (UAE) rugby team in a high-stakes build-up clash on Saturday, 24 May at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi.
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The friendly fixture comes at a pivotal moment as the Simbas intensify preparations for the upcoming Rugby Africa Cup, which doubles up as the 2027 Rugby World Cup Qualifier.
The encounter against the UAE will serve as a warm-up and is part of a broader strategy to sharpen the Simbas ahead of their month-long high-performance tour in South Africa.
For the UAE, the fixture also holds significant value as they prepare for the Asian Cup scheduled later this year.
The Simbas are currently in camp in Kakamega, where their head coach, Jerome Paarwater, has assembled a squad of 50 players.
From this pool, a final team of 33 players will be selected to regroup on Monday, 26 May, for a brief pre-departure training camp before flying out on Wednesday, 28 May, to South Africa.
“Our time in South Africa will be split into two key phases. From Wednesday, 28 May to Sunday, 22 June, we will be in Cape Town working in partnership with Western Province.
During this phase, the Simbas will play Saturday fixtures against Currie Cup teams and hold midweek contact sessions with local clubs and university sides,” Paarwater said.
The second phase of the South African tour will run from Sunday 22 to Friday 27 June in Nylstroom, where the Simbas will link up with the Blue Bulls.
Here, the team is scheduled to play against the Bulls' Currie Cup squads on Tuesday and Thursday, offering critical match exposure ahead of the Rugby Africa Cup.
The winner of the RAC will punch a direct ticket to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, while the runner-up will face an additional hurdle via the pre-repechage playoff.
With the tournament expanding from 20 to 24 teams, the Simbas have a stronger chance of qualifying, but only if they rise to the occasion.
Kenya came agonizingly close in 2022, reaching the RAC final before losing to Namibia. A year later, the team finished fourth after falling 20-12 to Algeria in the third-place playoff.
With an improved structure, a more expansive qualification path, and a focused squad, the Simbas are hoping to break through and earn their maiden World Cup appearance finally.
