National Council of Sports and Uganda Rugby Union have on Wednesday evening sent off both Men and Women Senior National teams to Kenya for the Safari Sevens.
The Rugby Cranes (Men) and Lady Rugby Cranes (Women) are among the participants at this year’s Safari 7s at Nyayo National Stadium due October 30.
Ian Munyani will captain the Men’s team and will be assisted by Aaron Ofoywroth.
Mary Gloria Ayot will captain the Ladies and will be assisted by Juliet Nandawula.
Listen to Ian Munyani
“We are partially prepared for this tournament given the fact that we have prepared for only three days, but the positive side is that we have been playing in the National Sevens so players are fit enough to play in these games,” said Munyani.
“We have played three weeks constantly, we have become fitter and we are not badly off.”
The team leaves without usual names like Philip Wokorach as coach Tolbert Onyango opted for the future.
“Its quite a new team full of exciting players and I think they are ready to show what they have to offer and the coach chose these players as he is building for the future and I think the average age of these players is probably 23 years. We are hoping to get the best of the tournament.”
The Rugby Cranes will uae the Safafi 7s to fine tune for the Africa Cup that will act as the qualifiers for the Commonwealth games and also the World Cup Sevens next year.
Munyani added: “We are taking this as a build up tournament since we have not had any international tournament this year. It will try to improve us and get us to know where we stand and how we can compete best for the Africa Cup.”
The Rugby Cranes are pitted in Group C alongside defending champions Morans, Spain and KCB.
The top two teams from each pool as well as the two best third placed finishers reach the quarters on Sunday.
The Lady Rugby Cranes will be played on a round robin format and Uganda will lock horns with Zimbabwe, South Africa (Titans Academy) and two Kenya teams (Lioness I and Lioness II).
The Squads:
Lady Rugby Cranes – Agnes Nakuya, Emily Lekuru, Emily Nanziri, Maimunah Nassozi, Nalubega Yudaya, Peace Lekuru, Susan Adong, Yvonne Najjuma, Nadunga Rita, Grace Auma.
Rugby Cranes – Kevin Balagadde, Adrian Kasito, Levis Ocen, Karim Arinaitwe, Ivan Otema, Innocent Gwokto, Nobert Okeny, Timothy Kisiga, Byron Oketayot, Denis Etwau
The Safari Sevens Pools
Men:
•Pool A – Shujaa, Zimbabwe, Germany, Stallion 7s
•Pool B – Samurai, SA All Stars 7s Academy, Red Wailers, Chipu 7s
•Pool C: Spain, Morans, Uganda, KCB
Women:
•Kenya Lioness I, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Titans Rugby Academy, Kenya Lionesses II
