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The Kenya Under-20 coach will only be counting on four returning stars from the 'Class of 2022' at this year’s tournament in Nairobi
Kenya rugby Under-20 head coach Curtis Olago is keeping his fingers crossed that his relatively young team will have enough to win this year’s Rugby Africa U20 Barthes Cup.
Kenya will host the tournament for the fourth straight year at Nairobi’s Nyayo National Stadium from 22-30 April 2023 and Olago has only four returning players from the squad that finished third in last year’s event.
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17:00 - 11.04.2023
RUGBY Kenya rugby Under 20 squad for Barthes Cup revealed
Chipu are looking to reclaim the title they last won in 2021.
Kenya Harlequin lock Laban Kipsang will captain Kenya, popularly known as Chipu, with Mwamba’s Felix Chacha, Dave Mwangi of Kenya Harlequin and Strathmore Leos’ Stanslous Shikoli are the only members of the ‘Class of 2022’ who have made a return and will be expected to lead the rest during the tournament.
“We go in a bit green because of inexperience as only four players will be back with the team selected for this year,” Olago said after naming the team at their training base at the KCB Sports Club on Tuesday.
“Nonetheless, it is a group comprising of very good players who have worked hard so far. We only have a few areas to polish and we will be ready for our rivals,” he added.
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13:00 - 27.03.2023
RUGBY Advantage for Kenya as Barthes returns to Nairobi
The Kenyan U20 side will enjoy home advantage as they host their rivals for the championship.
William Otondi, who plays for Binghamton University in the USA, has been named in the 28-man squad and will link up with the team on Saturday, April 15.
Kenya, who have hosted the tournament in 2019, 2021 and 2022, last won it two years ago, and will be hoping to improve on last year’s third-place finish by reclaiming the trophy.
It will not be easy, however, with defending champions Zimbabwe and last year’s beaten finalists, Namibia, considered the biggest threats yet again.
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09:32 - 28.03.2023
RUGBY Chipu intensify preparations ahead of Barthes Cup
The final squad will be named in due course.
“We know the challenge posed by Namibia and Zimbabwe who have been training since last year but our work is to be creative around our situation and come up with the best winning formula,” added Olago, with Uganda, Zambia, Tunisia, Madagascar and the Ivory Coast the other teams set to participate.
The tournament has added importance given the winner will secure a ticket to this year’s World Rugby Junior Trophy.
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