The future of Kenyan rugby was on full display over the weekend as the National Under 18 trials were held in Nairobi on 30th and 31st August 2025. The two-day exercise brought together over 200 students drawn from eight regions: Coast, Eastern, Nairobi, Central, Western, Rift Valley, Nyanza, and the International Schools, which formed the eighth region.
Each region was represented by 30 players, making up a pool of 240 athletes all competing for a place in the National Provisional Under 18 Squad. From this number, only 60 players will be shortlisted to form the provisional team.
The first phase of the trials took place on Saturday, 30th August at Lenana School, where the students were exposed to high-performance training sessions. The sessions were led by elite coaches, including Simon Jawichre, the Kenya Under 20 head coach, Moto Williams, the Under 20 strength and conditioning coach, and Bernard Kiprotich, head coach of KU Blak Blad, among others.This offered the young players invaluable learning opportunities and exposure to elite-level rugby environments. They were also guided by their regional-based coaches, ensuring a blend of mentorship and performance focused training.
On Sunday, 31st August, the action shifted to the RFUEA Grounds, where regions faced off in a series of competitive matches. As the athletes battled on the pitch, the coaches and selectors worked diligently on the sidelines, observing and recording standout performances.The selection process was supported by Tisini, who collected detailed performance data from the matches. This data, alongside video recordings, will allow coaches to carefully analyze each player’s performance before finalizing the 60-player provisional squad.
Beyond player selection, the trials served as a development platform for coaches, match officials, medics, and team managers. By working within a national team setup and high-performance environment, these stakeholders gained valuable exposure and experience to elevate their expertise.After thorough evaluation and data analysis, the coaching team will unveil the provisional Kenya Under 18 squad made up of 60 young athletes.
