The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) has unveiled an ambitious eight-year plan to reshape the country’s 15s rugby programme, with the Kenya Simbas and Kenya Lionesses at the centre of a long-term strategy designed to produce better-prepared players and more competitive national teams.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThe plan was presented during the 15s stakeholders breakfast on Wednesday, 30 September.The proposed 2027–2035 Fifteens Performance Strategy, themed “From Reach to Readiness,” represents a shift in KRU’s approach from expanding participation to developing quality, readiness and sustained international competitiveness.Friends School Kamusinga's plan to build a rugby dynastyThe strategy will cover the entire 15s pathway, from U16 and U18 rugby to Chipu (U20), domestic competitions and the senior men’s and women’s national teams, with the ultimate goal of creating a connected system through which players can progress from schools and clubs to international rugby.Rather than treating the national teams as isolated programmes, KRU wants to establish a pipeline where development at each level feeds directly into the next.The eight-year roadmap has been divided into three phases: Build (2027–2028), Compete (2029–2031) and Sustain (2032–2035).##NAJAVA_MECA_10006889##The first phase, which will run from 2027 to 2028, will focus on putting in place the structures needed to support sustained performance.At the heart of the Build phase will be a structured player-development curriculum, regular player assessments, coaching workshops and mentorship programmes.KRU also plans to introduce national performance camps during the Kenya Cup season, creating opportunities for players to be monitored and developed within the domestic competition environment.Kenya Morans set for Zimbabwe rematch as Safari 7s pools are announcedThe intention is to make talent identification a continuous process rather than one that begins only when national-team camps are called.For the Simbas, international exposure will be a major component of the strategy. KRU is targeting between six and 10 international matches annually for the senior men's team, providing players with regular opportunities to test themselves against different styles and levels of opposition.The U20 programme is also expected to receive about eight meaningful match opportunities, strengthening the transition between age-grade rugby and the senior national team.##NAJAVA_MECA_10006891##This increased exposure is expected to address one of the longstanding challenges facing Kenyan 15s rugby: developing players who are not only talented but also sufficiently prepared for the demands of international competition.KRU's plans also place significant emphasis on strengthening the domestic competition structure.One of the key proposals is the development of a Super Series, envisioned as an elite competition linking the Kenya Cup, Kenya A and the Simbas.Wahinya shines as KCB Rugby claim bragging rights against Ugandan siblingsThe concept is intended to create a more deliberate bridge between club rugby and international rugby, giving high-performing players a stronger competitive environment in which to develop.The Kenya Cup remains the foundation of the domestic game, but the proposed structure would allow the Union to identify players capable of stepping up to higher levels while ensuring that the Simbas remain connected to the domestic talent pool.This could also provide coaches with a larger and more consistent group of players to assess throughout the season.##NAJAVA_MECA_10006892##The strategy recognises that a successful national team cannot exist independently of the domestic system that produces its players.Women’s 15s rugby is another key pillar of the roadmap.KRU plans to increase the number of domestic fixtures available to women’s teams while strengthening the pathway into the Kenya Lionesses.Kabras RFC humble Ugandan side to clinch Kampala 7s crownThe objective is to give more players regular competitive opportunities and create greater depth for the national team.The Lionesses have made significant progress in recent years, but sustaining that momentum will require a stronger domestic foundation.Under the new strategy, women's 15s is therefore being incorporated into the wider performance system rather than treated as a separate development stream.##NAJAVA_MECA_10005229##Greater competition at domestic level is expected to improve player readiness while creating more opportunities for national-team selection.The strategy also places considerable importance on the development of young players.KRU wants to increase competition opportunities for U16, U18 and U20 players, recognising that international success at senior level depends on the quality of the pathway that comes before it.Menengai Oilers set to face KCB Rugby in blockbuster Impala Floodlights openerThe intention is to create a system where talented players can be identified early, receive appropriate coaching and gradually transition through the different levels of the game.Schools and clubs will therefore remain critical components of the strategy.Instead of players moving from one level to another without a clearly defined pathway, the proposed system seeks to connect schools, clubs, age-grade programmes, domestic competitions and the national teams.##NAJAVA_MECA_10006890##For Chipu in particular, increased international competition would provide an important testing ground for players who could eventually graduate into the Simbas.KRU is also proposing the creation of a Kenya 15s Partnership Circle, bringing together corporate partners, rugby legends, former leaders and other stakeholders.The partnership structure is expected to provide additional support for the development of the 15s programme while bringing together people and organisations with a vested interest in the future of Kenyan rugby.Former Nairobi Polo chairman offers solution to growing rift between Kenyan rugby clubsThe Union is also looking beyond traditional sponsorship as it seeks to improve the financial sustainability of the programme.Potential revenue streams identified under the strategy include ticketing, hospitality, merchandising, broadcasting and commercial partnerships.The thinking is that a stronger commercial model will provide the resources needed to sustain player development, coaching, competitions and international fixtures over the long term.##NAJAVA_MECA_10006708##Once the foundations are established, the strategy moves into the Compete phase from 2029 to 2031.This period will focus on turning the systems developed during the initial two years into tangible competitive gains.For the Simbas, that means translating increased international exposure, improved player preparation and stronger domestic competition into better results on the field.Andy Cole Omollo details challenges of adapting to life in JapanThe same principle will apply to the Lionesses and age-grade teams.The ambition is not simply to have more matches or more camps, but to ensure that those activities contribute directly to improved performance.The final phase, Sustain (2032–2035), will seek to institutionalise the system and ensure that progress is maintained.##NAJAVA_MECA_10002716##By then, KRU hopes the structures introduced during the Build phase will have become an established part of the Kenyan rugby ecosystem, allowing successive generations of players and coaches to move through a clearly defined performance pathway.The eight-year timeline is significant because it stretches across two Rugby World Cup cycles, giving KRU a longer horizon than the traditional four-year planning cycle.That longer view is intended to move Kenyan 15s rugby away from short-term fixes and towards sustained development.Impala RFC winger Derrick Kinyari opens up on decision to relocate to USAThe central objective is to ultimately create a system capable of consistently producing better-prepared players, stronger coaches and more competitive national teams.If successfully implemented, the real test will come not in the first year, but over the next decade, when KRU will be expected to demonstrate whether the structures built between 2027 and 2028 can deliver the competitive results targeted for 2029 onwards.