Simba, the national rugby-15-a-side will start their 2019 Rugby World Cup (RWC) campaign against Morocco in the qualifier encounter in Casablanca on Saturday.
Newly appointed head coach Ian Snook from New Zealand, who will be for the first time is expected to name his travelling party for the 2018 Rugby Africa Gold Cup on route to 2019 Japan RWC finals.
Africa champions Namibia defeated Uganda in the opener 55-06 in Windhoek, as Zimbabwe and Morocco played out a 23-23 draw in Harare.
Kenya last won the continental title then known as Africa Cup in 2013, the last time they beat Namibia at their home ground with Snook starting his tenure as Simbas boss in emphatic fashion when his team crushed Uganda 34-16 in the 2018 Elgon Cup first leg at Lugogo Oval, Kampala on May 26.
Simbas were on course for qualification for the 2015 RWC during the 2014 Africa Cup Division 1A round robin final round of qualifiers that took place in Madagascar at Mahamasina Stadium in Antananarivo, between June 28 and July 6.
After edging Namibia 29-22 and blanking hosts Madagascar 34-0, Kenya just needed to beat Zimbabwe in their third and final game to punch their ticket for the RWC finals in England but the side went down 10-28.
That opened the door for Namibia who thrashed Madagascar 89-10 to top the group as Zimbabwe advanced to the Repechage as Kenya, who were pushed to third on points-difference after the top three tied on 10 points returned home disappointed.
It is against this background that Simbas are keen on taking their chance this time with Snook hired by Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) to help realise this dream.
A winning start in Morocco will undoubtedly give the Simbas the much-needed impetus ahead of two intense successive home fixtures against Zimbabwe (June 30) and Uganda (July 7)
Kenya are aiming to be the fourth African country besides South Africa to represent Africa at the Rugby World Cup after Zimbabwe (1987,1991), Ivory Coast (1995) and Namibia (1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015).
Kenya finished runners-up to powerhouse Namibia in the last two editions of the Rugby Africa Gold Cup, which this year has the added significance of determining the continent’s other representative at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Additional information Sportpesanews.com