Kenya Simbas will face favourites USA in their opening match of the World Cup Repechage slated for November 6 in Dubai
In the fixtures released by World Rugby, Paul Odera's charges will then face Portugal on November 12 with the final match against Hong Kong set for November 18.
The Simbas have never played the Americans in the 15s version of the game but have regularly met in the Sevens circuit with both sides evenly matched.
The Simbas are the lowest ranked team in the repechage at position 33 with the USA the top-ranked side at 19. Portugal are 20 while Hong Kong 22nd.
The USA, under the tutelage of former Springbok assistant coach Gary Gold, missed out on automatic qualification to the World Cup after losing 52-51 on aggregate to Chile in the North American qualifier.
They have participated in all rugby World Cups bar the 1995 edition in South Africa.
Kenya last played Portugal in 2015 at the RFUEA with the hosts winning 41-15 and have played Hong Kong four times with both sides each winning twice.
Kenya won 24-18 and 34-10 at the RFUEA ground in 2015 and 2016 with the Asian outfit winning 40-30 during the four nations tournament in 2017 on home soil and won 42-17 during the 2019 Rugby World Cup repechage in France.
Head coach Paul Odera said they have done analysis on the three sides and expects a competitive tournament despite the Simbas being the underdogs.
“Looking at the four teams, we are the lowest ranked side is fine. But at the end of the day, we have to prove to them that we can compete and we are there on merit,” said Odera.
The former international was non-committal on when the team will start training for the repechage.
“The union has not given us direction on when we will start training. The side requires Sh38 million to cater for a training camp in South Africa as well as play build-up matches ahead of the repechage," he added.
The winner of the repechage will slot to pool C of the Rugby World Cup in France next year where two-time champions Australia, Wales, Fiji and Georgia await.
