A past action between Butula and Kitondo School /HANDOUT
KRU selected 288 U16 players (boys and girls) during regional trials, featuring eight regions, in July.
The regions are Central, Western, Rift Valley, Nyanza, Nairobi, Eastern, Coast and Northeastern.
From the 288, KRU will pick 42 players (21 boys and 21 girls) for the African school games in Angola in December and the Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal, in November next year.
Okoth was bullish about Kenya's chances at the two tournaments.
“From the selection process and the talent, we saw at the Term Two games in Kakamega, we have several talented players in both categories," said Okoth.
"We are developing a database of all the top junior players in this category to ensure they progress to the U18s, the U20s and eventually, Shujaa, Kenya Simbas or Kenya Lionesses," noted Okoth.
"Sevens rugby is an area I believe our teams are well adept at. I'm confident the team selected will do the country proud,” observed Okoth.
The federation has 280 U18 boys from whom to pick a final squad of 35, who will feature in an invitational tournament in either South Africa or Zimbabwe.
“The Kenya Rugby Union is working on a sourcing for resources for this particular group to give them game time and to test themselves against their peers in either Zimbabwe or South Africa in November or December,” added Okoth.
They plan to send the team to next year's Currie Cup in South Africa.
"We are working on a plan for that tournament to give the U18 capacity and to test them accordingly in one of the biggest age-grade tournaments in the world,” added Okoth.
