RWANDA’S APR volleyball depart this afternoon for the 2010 Men’s African Clubs Champions Championship which will held in Tunisia from April 20-30.

The national champions depart aboard Kenyan Airways and will have a stop-over in Nairobi, Kenya before reconnecting to Tunis via Cairo, Egypt.

APR sealed a hat-trick of league titles last year to earn an automatic ticket to represent the country in the Africa club championship.

The military side’s quest for the continental honours will be led by France based setter Ellie Mutabazi, Malchard Kwizera, Flavien Ndamukunda and Eric Nsabimana as some of the pivotal players who were named in the Sammy Mulinge named team.

This competition will qualify the African representative in the 2010 FIVB Men’s Club World Championship which will be held in December in Qatar.

Some of the clubs expected to grace the ten-day competition include Zamalek, Al Ahly, Etoile de Sahel, Sydia of Tunisa and Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya.

APR coach Sammy Mulinge is optimistic that the club will improve on last year’s performance. The 15-man contingent which is comprised of 12 players, head coach Sammy Mulinge, assistant coach Paul Bitok and a club official leave for Tunisia this afternoon aboard Ethiopian airlines and the military side’s Kenyan coach is confident of the team’s capabilities to performance well in the event.

"The lads have been doing intensive training for the last couple of days and they are in good shape.

"We want to improve on last year’s performance and finish in the top five,” Mulinge told Times Sport by telephone yesterday. APR finished seventh last year.

APR team: Leon Fidele Mutesi, Elie Mutabazi, Eric Nsabimana, Christophe Mukunzi, Mathieu Rwanyonga, Adolphe Mutoni, Malchard Kwizera, Flavien Ndamukunda, Guma Yakan, Alexis Nkuranga, Vincent Dusabimana and Emile Karera.

Technical staff: Sammy Mulinge and Paul Bitok.

Ends