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The final squad for the 2023 Victoria Cup in Kampala, Uganda, has been unveiled by the Kenya Simbas‘ technical bench.

Departing on Sunday evening, the 25-man squad, led by Kabras Sugar’s versatile forward George Nyambua, includes four players who are poised to make their debuts for the Simbas.

Kenya Simbas debutantes

These debutantes are Paul Mutsami, Peter Waitere, Dan Ang’wech, and Emmanuel Otieno.

Eugene Sifuna, David Bunduki, and Shem Okola have been designated as non-travelling reserves for the team.

The Simbas, who have undergone residential training in Kakamega, are set to kick off their campaign against Zambia at Kyadondo on Wednesday, November 1, 2023.

Subsequently, they will face the host nation, Uganda, on Sunday, November 5, 2023, at King’s Park.

This fixture also marks the commencement of the Elgon Cup, a long-standing cross-border rugby competition between Kenya and Uganda, initiated in 2004.

In the absence of Head Coach Jerome Paarwater, who is set to join the squad ahead of the Elgon Cup return match against Uganda in Kisumu on November 11, 2023, Carlos Katywa and Curtis Aluoch will be responsible for the team.

The Victoria Cup, last contested in 2019, features African nations such as Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Kenya Simbas in Victoria Cup

This tournament has been revived after a seven-year hiatus, which occurred following the cancellation of the Africa Gold Cup in 2019 due to sponsorship challenges.

Originally, the Victoria Cup was established as a tri-nations competition involving Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Uganda in 2010 and 2011. It utilized a double round-robin format, with teams competing both at home and away. Regrettably, the competition was discontinued in 2012 when Uganda and Zimbabwe withdrew due to financial constraints.

Zimbabwe have been a dominant force in the Victoria Cup, claiming victory in 2019 and 2011, while the Kenya Simbas secured victory in 2012 and finished as runners-up in both 2011 and 2019.