NAIROBI, Kenya, June 2 – Defending champions Kenya have been seeded first ahead of the Safaricom Sevens 2010. They headline Pool A that also has France’s Les Bleu, Zambia and leading invitational side Samurai, coached by 1995 Rugby World Cup Winner Chester Williams of South Africa.
Argentina who finished seventh in the 2009/2010 IRB Sevens series headline Pool C with two clubs founded in 1875, Hamilton Raiders from South Africa and New Zealand’s Ponsonby RFC headlining Pool D.
Les Bleu arrived on Tuesday and held a light training session at Saint Mary’s School in the afternoon.
While the Safaricom Sevens proper kicks off on Saturday 5th June 2010, there will be subsidiary events in the schools, veterans and womens’ categories kicking off on Friday.
The schools category sees defending champions Western Schools lumped together with Nairobi, Rift Valley, Coast and Tanzania in what looks like a very competitive pool A.
Zimbabwe Schools, Nyanza,Uganda, Eastern and Central round off an equally competitive Pool B.
The womens’ event is a four team affair with Mwamba, Vivi, U.S. Colleges and Uganda competing for main honours.
Kenya Harlequins will be out to defend their veterans’ title and themselves in Pool A of the over 35s'(veterans’) event alongside Toothless Lions, KCB and Darbarians.
The Rogue Buffaloes headline Pool B alongside Walevi RFC, Les Gaulois and Impala.
Draw
Pool A: Kenya, Les Bleu, Samurai, Zambia
Pool B: Emerging Boks, Bristol, Namibia, Tanzania
Pool C: Argentina, Zimbabwe, Grenoble, Shujaa
Pool D: Hamilton, Posonby, Uganda, Rwanda