Kenya’s Under-16 boys’ rugby team will get an opportunity to measure itself against some of the world’s leading school sides when it competes at the HSBC International Schools Sevens tournament in London in March 2027.
The week-long competition, scheduled to take place at Richmond Park, will feature teams from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Scotland, South Africa and Zimbabwe, according to Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) development manager Ronald Okoth.
Okoth said the tournament offers the young players a chance to recover from the disappointment of missing out on the Youth Olympics while gaining valuable experience against strong international opposition.
“This is a God-sent opportunity for the team to make up for the disappointment of not playing in the Youth Olympics and to test ourselves against the top-playing nations in the world at this level,” he said.
Beyond the international exposure, KRU views the competition as part of a broader plan to develop young talent and prepare players for higher levels of the game.
Okoth explained that the tournament would help establish a pathway for players to progress through Kenya’s age-grade teams, with the long-term ambition of representing the senior national sides.
“It gives the young boys a pathway and allows the union to start charting a course for them to play for Kenya Under-18 and Under-20 before eventually progressing to Shujaa and the Simbas in their future careers,” he said.
The union is also expanding opportunities for young players in the 15-a-side format. Okoth revealed that members of the Under-16 pool could also represent Kenya at the Grant Khomo Craven Week in South Africa in June and July 2027.
The squad will draw talent from both public and private schools, with public institutions expected to account for 70 per cent of the selected players. Schools represented in the pool include national Sevens champions Butula, Cardinal Otunga, Upper Hill School, Nairobi School and All Saints.
Competition for places is expected to be intense, with the union planning to assemble a provisional squad of 35 players before reducing it to between 18 and 20 ahead of the London trip.
“We have a depth chart of the country’s leading players in that age group and picking a team with the talent on offer is an immense task. I’m confident we will select a formidable squad for the championship,” Okoth said.
Preparations are scheduled to begin with a training camp in December, followed by further sessions in January, February and March.
For KRU, the London tournament presents an important opportunity to expose the country’s emerging rugby talent to international competition and strengthen the development pipeline following Kenya’s absence from the Youth Olympics in Senegal.
