As part of preparations for the All African Games qualifiers, Rwanda senior men’s volleyball team coach Paul Bitok (pictured) wants his team to play a couple of warm-up games against top teams in Africa ahead of the Zone V tourney slated for May.

Bitok suggested teams like Egypt, Tunisia, Botswana and Tunisia as possible opponents for his team as he aims to raise the level of his players.

"We need to play many warm-up games because we need to raise the level of players before the qualifiers start, we are facing tough teams like Kenya and Uganda so we need to be ready by the time of the tournament,” explained the former Kenyan international.

Rwanda will host the Zone V Group One event which will feature teams like Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. It will serve as the qualifier for the 2015 All Africa Games to be held in Congo Brazzaville from September 4 to 19.

The local-based players have been training twice a week (Monday and Tuesday) and will be joined by two professionals; Christophe Mukunzi and Placide Madison Sibomana at a later date before the final team is named.

Meanwhile, APR VC, Rwanda’s representative at the ongoing African Club Championship for Men in Sousse, Tunisia, have lost three and won one of their first four games.

APR lost to Algerian side Bourj Bouaririj 25-10, 25-13, and 25-14 and Kenyan side GSU 25-18, 25-13, 21-25, 25-22 before they beat Nemo Stars of Uganda 25-19, 25-12, 11-25, 24-26, 15-12.

The army side were again beaten by Ahly of Egypt 25-15, 25-13, 25-19, and by press time, they were due to play against Espoir of DRC in their last classification game.

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