The Kenya Simbas will play the United Arab Emirates in a build-up match on May 24 ahead of the Rugby World Cup qualifiers in July in Uganda.
The match will be played at the RFUEA ground at 3 pm. The Simbas are ranked 33rd in the latest World Rugby rankings, with the UAE ranked 50th.
This will be the second meeting between the two. The Simbas won the first 55-17 during an Emirates Nations Cup fixture at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on December 16, 2011.
Previously, the UAE were known as the Arabian Gulf and played Kenya twice in World Cup qualifiers.
In the run-up to the 1995 Rugby World Cup, Kenya won 24-23 and won 37-18 at the RFUEA Ground on September 6, 1997, during a qualifier for the 1999 edition.
The Simbas are currently training in Kakamega, where a 50-man training squad have been in camp since Sunday.
Head coach Jerome Paarwater said competition for places is intense as players battle to keep their places when the squad is whittled down to 33 on Sunday.
"It's been a very competitive week with the players being through their paces as we look to name a leaner team on Sunday. It's been good competition among the players," noted Paarwater.
The South African tactician expects a competitive clash against the UAE.
"It will be an eye opener for us, to see what we have learned in training and see if our systems and facets of play are working," said Paarwater.
"This is the first step of a journey to qualify for the World Cup. We have come close several times. I hope this time, with the support of everyone, we can make it."
After the UAE encounter, the squad of 33-man squad will regroup on May 26 and depart two days later for a high-performance tour in South Africa.
This South African leg will be split into two key phases. The first phase runs from May 28 to June 22 in Cape Town, in partnership with Western Province.
During this time, the Simbas will engage in Saturday fixtures against Currie Cup sides and midweek contact sessions with local clubs and university teams.
The second phase will see the team move to Nylstroom from June 22 to 27, where they will collaborate with the Blue Bulls. This camp will include matches on Tuesday and Thursday against the Bulls’ Currie Cup squads.
