Kenya's under-20 rugby team, Chipu, is gearing up to defend their Barthes Cup title in Harare, Zimbabwe. They'll kick things off against Tunisia on April 19th. Then, on April 24th, they'll face their old rivals, Namibia, for a spot in the championship match.
Coach Simon Jawichre and his squad are working hard at Lenana School this week. It's their final training camp before he picks the 28 players who'll make the trip. Jawichre wants his team in top form for the tournament.
Playing warm-up games before the big event might not be in the cards, though. The 15s season is winding down, which makes finding opponents tricky. But Jawichre isn't worried. He's got faith in his team's prep, even if it's just training sessions.
Jawichre knows the competition will be fierce in Harare. Zimbabwe is hungry to take back the trophy after losing to Kenya last year. But Chipu caught everyone by surprise in that tournament. They showed they've got the skills to hang with the best.
The coach also has high hopes for his players' futures. He wants to see a bunch of them move up to the Simbas or Shujaa squads. It's all part of the pipeline to keep Kenyan rugby strong for years to come. Jawichre will announce his final roster next week before Chipu flies out on April 15th.
Coach Simon Jawichre and his squad are working hard at Lenana School this week. It's their final training camp before he picks the 28 players who'll make the trip. Jawichre wants his team in top form for the tournament.
Playing warm-up games before the big event might not be in the cards, though. The 15s season is winding down, which makes finding opponents tricky. But Jawichre isn't worried. He's got faith in his team's prep, even if it's just training sessions.
Jawichre knows the competition will be fierce in Harare. Zimbabwe is hungry to take back the trophy after losing to Kenya last year. But Chipu caught everyone by surprise in that tournament. They showed they've got the skills to hang with the best.
The coach also has high hopes for his players' futures. He wants to see a bunch of them move up to the Simbas or Shujaa squads. It's all part of the pipeline to keep Kenyan rugby strong for years to come. Jawichre will announce his final roster next week before Chipu flies out on April 15th.
