The Kenya Under-20 national rugby team, Chipu, will be out to settle old scores when they face defending champions Namibia in the opening match of the 2026 Rugby Africa U20 Barthés Trophy on Friday, 7 August at Wankulukuku Stadium in Kampala, Uganda. The fixture renews one of the continent’s fiercest junior rivalries, with the two sides having shared memorable battles over the last two editions of the tournament.
Namibia denied Kenya the chance to defend their title after claiming a 32-22 victory in Harare during the 2025 edition, a defeat that saw Chipu surrender the continental crown. However, Kenya will draw confidence from the 2024 championship in Zimbabwe, where they stunned the Junior Welwitschias 34-28 with a dramatic last-minute victory en route to lifting their third Barthés Trophy title. Head coach Simon Jawichre has retained several players from last year’s squad, banking on continuity and experience as Kenya seeks to reclaim the African title.
Among the returning players are Jackson Siketi and Faran Juma, who have since gained valuable experience playing for their clubs in both the 15s game and the ongoing National Sevens Circuit. Speaking ahead of the tournament, Jawichre said the returning core gives Kenya an advantage.“They played last year in Zimbabwe and have been active for their club sides in the 15s and the ongoing Sevens circuit. A good number of our forwards are also returning, and that experience will be key. We will take one match at a time,” he said.
This year’s championship ushers in a revamped competition format aimed at creating more meaningful fixtures while strengthening the pathway for age-grade rugby across Africa. The six participating nations have been split into two tiers, with Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Tunisia competing in the Performance Division, while hosts Uganda, Zambia and Madagascar feature in the First Division.
Raed Also: Andrew Amonde opens up on pressure of managing a star-studded KCB team
Unlike previous editions, the Performance Division begins directly at the semi-final stage, with Kenya facing Namibia and Zimbabwe taking on Tunisia. The winners will advance to the final while the losing sides meet in the third-place playoff. Namibia head into the tournament full of confidence as they chase a record fourth Barthés Trophy title in the competition’s modern era. The Junior Welwitschias were officially flagged off in Windhoek earlier this week, where Namibia Rugby Union CEO John Haynes challenged the team to defend their crown.
Meanwhile, Tunisia arrived in Kampala more than a week before the tournament and has used the extended stay to acclimatise through a training camp and several warm-up matches, including fixtures against Uganda’s U20 side. Kenya, however, boasts an impressive record in the competition. Since the tournament was rebranded in 2016, Chipu has won three titles, level with Namibia, and will be eager to move one step closer to a fourth continental crown.