Preview: Kenyan discards to help Namibia
Vuyo Zangqa and Graham Bentz – who were effectively deported in the aftermath of then Kenyan coach Paul Treu's departure and the unfounded doping allegations levelled against the South Africans – will help Namibia at the Olympic qualifier in Kempton Park this coming weekend.
Twelve of the top African Sevens teams will go head-to-head at the Barnard Stadium on Saturday and Sunday for a sought-after spot at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
However, the spice added to this already delectable menu is the addition of Zangqa and Bentz to a Namibian squad that will feature eight players from their 15-a-side World Cup squad.
It is possible that Namibia and Kenya will go head-to-head in Sunday's play-offs, which will make for entertaining viewing.
Zangqa and Bentz were effectively deported by the KRU – having been forced to face a disciplinary hearing (where they were cleared of the charges), but then handed one-way tickets out of the country.
There is still a legal dispute between the two South Africans, who have asked for an arbitration hearing over outstanding money in relation to their contracts that would have run till September next year, but they have both been appointed in "advisory capacity" to the Namibian coaching staff.
But before Namibia and Kenya get to meet each other, they first gave to get through their pools.
Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe will participate in the tournament, with the winning team qualifying for the Olympic Games.
Kenya will enter the Olympic qualifier among the top contenders to win given their status as one of the core teams on the Sevens World Series, and will look to use this experience to stamp their authority against their neighbouring countries.
Namibia will also look to make their presence felt. The team prepared for the continental showpiece at the Springbok Sevens' training base in Stellenbosch this week before departing for Johannesburg on Thursday.
Zimbabwe, meanwhile, trained in Pretoria this week, while Nigeria arrived in Johannesburg early in the week to acclimatise to the Gauteng conditions and hot temperatures.
Kenya and Mauritius will kick-off the tournament on Saturday, which will be followed by a clash between Zimbabwe and Nigeria.
Each team will play three matches on the opening day, with the top eight sides advancing to the Cup quarterfinals on Sunday, and the four lower-ranked teams facing off in the Bowl section. 
Pools:
Pool A: Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Senegal
Pool B: Zimbabwe, Zambia, Nigeria, Uganda
Pool C: Tunisia, Morocco, Namibia, Botswana
Fixtures for Saturday, November 14:
(Kick-off is local time – GMT plus two hours)
Match 1: Kenya v Mauritius (10.00)
Match 2: Zimbabwe v Nigeria (10.22)
Match 3: Tunisia v Botswana (10.44)
Match 4: Madagascar v Senegal (11.06)
Match 5: Uganda v Zambia (11.28)
Match 6: Namibia v Morocco (11.50)
Match 7: Kenya v Senegal (12.42)
Match 8: Zimbabwe v Zambia (13.04)
Match 9: Tunisia v Morocco (13.26)
Match 10: Madagascar v Mauritius (13.48)
Match 11: Uganda v Nigeria (14.10)
Match 12: Namibia v Botswana (14.32)
Match 13: Kenya v Madagascar (15.14)
Match 14: Zimbabwe v Uganda (15.36)
Match 15: Tunisia v Namibia (15.58)
Match 16: Senegal v Mauritius (16.20)
Match 17: Zambia v Nigeria (16.42)
Match 18: Morocco v Botswana (17.04)
* At the end of the day one, the teams will be ranked from one to 12, based on their results in their pool matches. Teams one to eight go into the main qualifying competition – the Cup quarterfinals.
