France name provisional squad for upc*ming test matches against Kenya
The French Rugby League XIII, which beat Serbia (78-10) at the end of September, will be in Kenya for two test matches from November 30 to December 6. According to Kenya Rugby League Chairman Richard Nyakwaka aka Quicks, the upcoming matches will provide a viable platform for both teams to score the much-needed world ranking points.
Kenya (ranked 31st) will play their first and second test matches with France at Jamuhuri Showground on Saturday December 2 and Tuesday December 5 at Impala Club under Floodlights respectively. Ranked ninth in the world, the “Les Tricolores” must maintain their place in the world Top 10 if they harbor hopes to participate in the next World Cup scheduled for 2026 in New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji, given that that there will be no qualifying phases for this event.
France unveiled a list of 30 players preselected for the two international meetings scheduled in Kenya in December. According to sources, the French team will be whittled down to twenty players on Saturday November 25 well in time for departure to Kenya. The Kenya Rugby League delegation led by Nyakwaka paid a visit to the French Embassy in Nairobi where Deputy Ambassador Lionel Fabre underscored the significance of their upcoming test matches on Kenya soil.
Fabre said: “I am proud to announce that the French Rugby League team will play Kenya and this is based on the great partnership between federations of both countries.” “This will be the first time for both teams to play together and I’m sure there will be a great audience to attend the match. Playing with France will definitely open the mighty windows of opportunity for Kenya Rugby League national Team to play high-level international matches.”
Fabre also noted that sports is one of its action pillars here in Kenya and indeed a very important facet of French diplomacy. Nyakwaka on his part remarked: “These partnership goes a long way in showcasing the friendship between our country Kenya and France.” “The aggrement next year is that it will be home and away; we go to France and they come here. We hope that by the time we get to 2025 we will already have our ladies also going and coming and also our under 18s.”
Kenya recently played South Africa and lost two of their test matches. South Africa followed up their 56-12 win in the first game with Kenya Rugby League National Team with a resounding 82-2 triumph at the Grizzlies Stadium in Pretoria.
, in the second men’s senior international encounter. The French Rugby Team will also be engaged in a number of activities including touring Nairobi National Park as well as runing clinics for public primary schools. The French rugby league team first played in 1934 on a tour of England. They have taken part in all World Cups, 16 in total, with the first being held in 1954 in France. They have never won the title but finished runners-up in both 1954 and 1968. These are often considered the glory years of French rugby league as from the 1950s to the 1970s the team were strong and regularly beat Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain. The French provisional.list: Aispuro, Benabdeslem, C. Le Cam, F. Maria (St-Estève/XIII Catalan), Aubry, Boyer, Herréro, Lopez-Buttignol (Carcassonne), Baby, Marty, Vailhen (Pia XIII Baroudeur), Yann Belmaaziz , Bouscayrol, Crunel, Dall’Asta, L. Vergniol (Limoux), Brocas, J. Flovie (FC Lézignan), Budden, Pons (St-Gaudens), Carré, Grosson, Pourchi (SOA), Deltheil (Villeneuve), Fabre , Goffin, Leveillé, Pedrero (Albi), Griffier (Salon), Skoundri (Toulouse).
