History awaits Agenerwot in Tunisia

KAMPALA. No female player from a Northern Uganda-based team has ever donned the national jersey in a 7s tournament.

Scovia Aketo (Gulu She Elephants) was the first player from a northern Ugandan team to represent Uganda, but that was in the 15s team, during the 2015 Elgon Cup.

However, Kitgum Queens’ Flavia Agenerwot has a chance to enter history books if she plays for the Lady Cranes in the Rugby Afrique 7s due this weekend in Tunisia.

“For me to come from Kitgum and compete against girls from Kampala is amazing. But it is not the end of my story, I still have to push hard,” she said.

Agenerwot, 21, has sacrificed a lot. For instance, she twice a week commutes from Kitgum to Kampala for national team training.

“Those journeys are so draining. I usually leave late in the night and reach Kampala in the morning. I take a rest and then train in the evening, before boarding back,” she said, before the team’s departure on Tuesday. 

Long walk to the top

Agenerwot’s rugby journey started in 2013 at Kitgum Town College while in Senior Three. She was also into athletics, specializing in the sprints and long jump.

Rohwan Lovington Opoka, the head of schools’ rugby development at Kitgum Lions Rugby Football Club, speaks glaringly about Agenerwot.

“She is very determined, does personal training and also puts in hard shifts when training with the boys. Four years ago, she told me she will one day play for Uganda. Now she is fulfilling her promise,” says Opoka.

In 2015, Agenerwot got called up for national team trials. The previous year, she had also played a number of trial games for the national U-19 side.

“She is not flashy but gets her head up. She used to make mistakes because of inexperience but she learns fast.

“She was also a bit big headed but the good thing about rugby is that we get time to talk to such players and get to know their problems. They then start getting into the right lane,” says Lady Cranes head coach, Helen Koyokoyo Buteme.

In 2016, Agenerwot was part of the Gazelles team that played at the Dubai 7s and Buteme was impressed.

“Despite being her first ever trip out of Uganda, first time on a plane, and first international tournament, she played so confidently. She was our second best performer after Charlotte Mudoola,” adds Buteme.

“Going to Dubai helped me a lot. In Kitgum, I am a role model to many girls. Playing against Africa’s best in Tunisia will surely inspire many girls in Kitgum to work hard,” Agenerwot, level one coach, says.

According to Opoka, Agenerwot is one of the reasons that parents are allowing their children to join rugby in Kitgum. Today, six secondary schools and four primary schools are playing rugby.

Agenerwot’s message to them: “Hard work pays.”

Uganda plays Tunisia, Morocco and South Africa in Pool A of the tournament, which doubles as next year’s World Cup and Commonwealth Games qualifier.