19 YEARS OF RUGBY: Safaricom Safari Sevens is back as Lionesses bow out of IRB World Series qualifiers in Hong Kong

Kenya's Biko Adema (right) keeps the ball against Scotland's Michael Fedo during their rugby sevens world series, Tokyo Sevens last year. [PHOTO:AFP]

The Safaricom Rugby Sevens will be celebrating their 19th edition when the tournament takes place from 26th to 28th September at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

The tournament was first played in 1996 at the Rugby Football Union of East Africa (RFUEA) Grounds where it was continuously hosted until 2010.

The tournament had to be moved because rugby had grown in popularity, and the RFUEA grounds, along Ngong Road, could not accommodate tens of thousands of rugby fans.

The 2011 and 2012 editions were held at the larger Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi West area of the city, but the growing popularity of rugby, and the tournament, necessitated the move to the 60,000 capacity Kasarani in 2013.

This is the second year that it will be held at Kasarani.

Some of the teams expected for this year's tournament include Argentina, Spain, Samurai International Invitational, Sharks, Western Province, Auckland Metro, Suzuki Wailers, Welsh Warriors, Germany and Uganda, among others.

Even though some of the top players in the world are expected at the event, Kenya Rugby Union maintains that the main attraction will be Kenya's national team, which will be represented by two select sides.

Kenya's national teams mainly play abroad, and that is why KRU feels this will be an opportunity for Kenyan fans to watch their team in action on home ground.

The tournament has also been used in the recent past to gauge how new players introduced to the national team cope in tough competitions.

Head Coach Paul Treu is yet to name his squad, but he is expected to unveil a side that will also likely compete in the upcoming season of the International Rugby Board Sevens Circuit.

Not only will there be the senior male's competition but there will also be action in the age groups and women's competitions. They will run concurrently with the main event.

Meanwhile, the Kenya Lionesses bowed out of quarter final contention at the IRB Women's Sevens World Series qualifiers after losing their three Pool B matches in matches played in Hong Kong on Friday and Saturday.

The Lionesses suffered a 31-0 loss at the hands of Japan, before going down 0-45 to Fiji in their second fixture.

They wound up their preliminary fixtures with a 19-5 loss to Argentina.

This means they will not be a core team for the Women's version of the International Sevens circuit of the IRB.