Jerome Paarwater names Simbas provisional squad ahead of WCQ

 The National Rugby 15s team head coach Jerome Paarwater has unveiled a 50-man provisional squad set to begin camp and preparations for the upcoming Rugby World Cup 2027 qualifiers, which will be held in Kampala, Uganda from July 6 -20, 2025.

 Paarwater and his technical bench will kick off the qualification journey with a residential training camp in Kakamega from May 11- 18 2025. This initial phase will see the squad undergo intense training and assessment, after which it will be trimmed down to 33 players.

The selected 33 will then regroup on 26th May for a short pre-departure camp before leaving the country on 28th May for a high-performance camp in South Africa.

The South African leg will be split into two key phases with the opening phase running from 28th May to 22nd June 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 club and university teams.

The second phase will see the team move to Nylstroom from June 22 -27, where they will collaborate with the Blue Bulls. This camp will include matches on Tuesday and Thursday against the Bulls’ Currie Cup squads.

The Simbas will return to Kenya on June 27 for another brief pre-departure camp scheduled for 1st and 2nd July before traveling to Uganda on 3rd July for the highly anticipated qualifiers.

Of note is the large inclusion of Shujaa players including veteran Vincent Onyala, Kevin Wekesa, Festus Shiasi, William Mwanji, Samuel Asati, Brian Tanga and Jone Kubu.

Speaking after the squad announcement, Head Coach Jerome Paarwater noted significant changes driven largely by player injuries.

“There are some major changes in the squad which have been brought about by injuries,” Paarwater stated.

The South African tactician also extended his gratitude to club coaches across the Kenya Cup, crediting their involvement in the talent identification process.

“I want to deeply thank the various coaches from the Kenya Cup teams. They played a vital role in selecting players from their clubs in the past season.”

Paarwater also confirmed the inclusion of several foreign-based players in the programme, underlining the team’s commitment to blending local talent with international experience.

The technical bench are optimistic that the structured build-up—spanning domestic camps and high-intensity exposure abroad—will equip the Simbas for a strong showing in Kampala as they bid for a place at the 2027 Rugby World Cup.