APR face Stef and Benjaia in Africa Championships

APR volleyball club were drawn against Algeria’s Benjaia and hosts Stef in Group A of the Women’s African Club Championship which started yesterday at Palais de Sport Hall in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Unlike the other three groups, the Rwandan league champions are in a group of three teams, which means one win could be enough to take them through to the knockout stage depending on what happens elsewhere.Defending champions Kenya Prisons were drawn in Pool B alongside Kutlwano from Botswana, Water Sport of Ethiopia and GSP (Algeria)Kenya Pipeline, the other Kenyan representatives, are in Pool C alongside Manga Sports of Gabon, Ndejje from Uganda and Les AS of Burundi.Former champions Al Ahly from Egypt are in Pool D alongside Cameroon’s FAP, VBCD Madagascar and AS Tanda of Ivory Coast.And the single ticket reserved for the continent in the FIVB World Club Championships will be the centre of focus as each team aims to play at the global level.The FIVB World Club Championships that was re-introduced four years ago involve six continental winners and has total prize money of US$750,000 (about Rwf475m).Every team is now aiming to win the continental showpiece and qualify for the FIVB World Club Championships slated for Brazil in June.Meanwhile, Madagascar Volleyball Federation President Clarisse Bakoly says they are ready to stage the event at Palais de Sport Hall. The men tournament will be held in Libya on April 30. APR men’s team will be Rwanda’s representatives.Pools:Pool A: Stef (Madagascar), Benjaia (Algeria), APR (Rwanda).Pool B: Prisons (Kenya), Kutlwano (Botswana), Watersport (Ethiopia), GSP (Algeria)Pool C: Pipeline (Kenya), Manga sport (Gabon), Denje (Uganda), Les As (Burundi).Pool D: FAP (Cameroon), VBCD (Madagascar), Al Ahly (Egypt), AS Tanda (Ivory Coast)