The Kenya under-18 rugby team will grace the first Africa School Games scheduled for July 5-13 and the Africa Youth Games in Luanda, Angola from December 1-7.
Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) development officer, Ronald Okoth, said the tournaments provide an opportunity to test the players against the best teams from the continent as well as play their peers.
"The boys selected last year are ready for action and are looking forward to competing against the top teams on the continent," added Okoth.
Okoth said the squad was expected to take part in the CotCo Cup tournament in Zimbabwe recently but the trip was called off at the last minute due to lack of funds.
“We were not able to send the team due to financial constraints, but we are confident we will have resources for the upcoming tournaments,” noted Okoth.
The team was chosen last year during the regional and national school championships, and Okoth believes a majority of them will be eligible for the upcoming tournaments.
“ A majority of them fall in the age bracket for the event, and I am confident we will end up with a strong squad for the two competitions,” he added.
The two events will act as preparation for the Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal, from October 31 to November 7 next year.
“ The events we are taking part in are geared towards Dakar, and with a vibrant national schools rugby system, we will be competitive,” added Okoth.
Elsewhere, South African-born Ntabeni Dukisa was named Kabras player of the year at the club's awards ceremony held on Wednesday in Kakamega.
Dukisa edged out fierce competition from Patrick Sabatia, who finished second, and Walter Okoth, whose command of the backline earned him third place and the 'Best Backline' accolade.
In the senior ranks, Eugene Sifuna’s powerful performances earned him the Best 'Forward' title, while Griffin Chao’s try-scoring prowess saw him finish as the top try scorer.
Barry Robinson was acknowledged for his defensive contributions, sharing the defensive honours with Jibril Lugonzo for their respective categories.
Kabras retained the Kenya and Enterprise Cups, beating Menengai Oilers in both finals 27-26 and 33-12, respectively.
