Major squad changes in 15s team

• Fringe players set for Hong Kong 15s test
• Simbas technical bench drafts in 17 players for weekend clash

Kenya Simbas assistant coach Dominique Habimana has backed his new look squad to perform well against Hong Kong in Sunday’s first test match at the RFUEA Grounds.

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

The Jerome Paarwater-led technical bench has made 17 changes on the team that featured in final two rounds of the 2017 Africa Gold Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia a fortnight ago.

Kenya beat the Sables 41-22 before suffering a 45-7 humiliation at the hands of Namibia in a decisive match, in Windhoek.

The sextet of James Kubasu, Philip Ikambili, Emmanuel Mavala, Elkeans Musonye, Brad Owako and Alex Olaba all have been named to the match day squad that will be captained by Kabras Sugar’s George Nyambua.

KCB’s Oliver Mang’eni, Biko Adema, Ronnie Mwenesi and Vincent Mose returns to the team, while Benjamin Marshall could make his debut from the bench.

This will be the third meeting between the two teams after Kenya beat the Asian side (24-18, 34-10) in a two-legged test match in Nairobi last year.

And as the national team prepares for next year’s World Cup qualifiers, Habimana, the former Nakuru RFC coach, said the test match will be a great opportunity for players who rarely get a chance to prove their worth.

“We have been building the proper level of intensity, execution and precision. Once we are able to sort out all those three things in the same game that is when we will be able to play at our full potential. The boys have been growing, trying to get all those basics right at the same time,” said Habimana after yesterday’s squad naming ceremony at RFUEA Grounds.

“We want to give the boys, mostly those coming off the bench, a chance. We hope they will step up on Sunday.”

Having beaten Hong Kong in the last two meetings, Habimana has warned his players to expect a difficult match.

“Sunday’s match is going to be a bit harder because they (Hong Kong) have been preparing ever since Asia rugby championship earlier this year so we are expecting a very tough match. We won the game the last time we met, but of course they are going to come hard on us. However, we expect to win,” said Habimana.

The return leg is scheduled for next Saturday at the same venue.