NAIROBI, Kenya, January 14- The enticing Africa derby is on at the Summer Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland after Kenya and South Africa were pooled together in the rugby sevens competition.
Both continental titans who have continued to excel at the HSBC World Series are favoured to haul themselves from Pool B that contains minnows Trinidad and Tobago and Cook Islands and progress to the quarterfinals of the competition.
According to the draw for the 16-team competition that was announced Tuesday, champions New Zealand who are bidding for a fifth straight Commonwealth crown will take on hosts Scotland, Canada and Nigeria in Group A.
Medal bets Samoa face Wales, Papua New Guinea and Malaysia in Group C while England, Australia, Sri Lanka and Uganda will battle it out in Pool D.
Kenya have faced South Africa in the last two legs of the 2013/14 World Series with the latter coming trumps on both occasions in Dubai and George.
Former South Africa head coach, Paul Treu, is now the Kenyan boss and the latest draw will undoubtedly fire him up to do one against his previous employers.
Treu and the squad returned from South Africa on Monday where they stepped up their training for the next leg of the World Series in Los Angeles.
He led his former charges to silver as Australia took bronze at the last Club Games in Delhi, 2010.
A total of 45 games will be contested in two days of fierce competition at Ibrox Stadium.
“Glasgow will welcome most of the world’s best Rugby Sevens nations to compete at the Games. The standard of competition will be world-class, the action is fast-paced and with all of the teams playing in each session of competition, it guarantees a feast of rugby action and a brilliant atmosphere all round,” Head of Sport at Glasgow 2014, Greg Warnecke, said.
International Rugby Board Chairman, Bernard Lapasset, said,
“For 16 years now Rugby Sevens has enjoyed being a key part of the Commonwealth Games.
“To compete alongside their compatriots in a multi-sport environment is a matter of huge pride and honour for our rugby players, who are making giant strides in this new Olympic era.
“We wish our Rugby athletes all the best in this magnificent international event.”
In South Africa, Kenya participated in the George Premier 7s and finished third.
The Las Vegas leg is scheduled for the weekend of January 24 and 26 with Commonwealth Games action running from July 23 to August 3.
