Rugby Cranes to rely on Ochwo’s nerves of steel

KAMPALA.

The outside kitchen chimney at Legends Club belched out smoke, leaving tantalising cooking smells wafting on the evening breeze.

On the pitch, there was a different type of scent. At the behest of coaches John Duncan and Robert Seguya, Rugby Cranes players breezed through each drill, scenting victory at every step.

As their teammates hopped and stretched with gusto, Philip Wokorach and Ivan Kirabo painstakingly adjusted their kicking tees, oblivious to the cacophony of fan exuberance. Kickoff of the Elgon Cup first leg was imminent, and the two place kickers were taking turns to split the posts.

While Kirabo fluffed the odd few, Wokorach had a clear run. The breathtakingly beautiful style and return might have swayed many but not the kicking tee carrier on the day, Ivan Makmot.

The Rimula Rhinos scrum-half, who took on the kicking duties in last year’s 48-10 first leg loss, was not playing devil’s advocate or being chief provocateur for that matter. He knew that a match situation frays nerves to the point of leaving one in a bind.

As it turned out, Wokorach lived side by side on starkly unequal terms with Kenya’s place kicker Darwin Mukidza during the tourists’ 23-18 away win. Mukidza’s perfect place kicking record saw the Kenya Simbas draw first blood as Wokorach’s gilt-edged misses left Rugby Cranes faithful wondering what might have been.

Wokorach will have the chance to make amends today, but Makmot - set to sport the replacement scrum-half’s No.21 jersey in the Kenyan capital - anticipates yet another nerve-shredder.
“The pressure at RFUEA Ground is always unbearable,” he said of the venue of today’s return leg with a tinge of sardonic despair.

“You have to have a big match temperament and above all nerves of steel.”

After the marginal first leg win in Kampala on June 10, Kenya Simbas coach Jerome Paarwater hailed Mukidza as “a guy who can handle the pressure.”

The South African tactician knows that, in a game of fine margins, such an attribute can prove to be decisive.

Credit to Cranes
Paarwater also predicted that today’s return leg, which doubles as a Rugby Africa Gold Cup match, will be “tough” because “Uganda always plays well in Nairobi.”

The Rugby Cranes certainly played well in the first half of last year’s reverse fixture at RFUEA Ground.

They, however, withered when tiredness kicked in after the breather, letting their hosts have an incredulous grasp on the fixture. The Simbas ran in three second half tries to take a 45-24 win. The Rugby Cranes backroom staff says lessons have been learnt.

“We’ve looked into our past and realised that we made a few mistakes here and there: like, for example, we did not rest our front row in the second half,” Seguya noted.

While it will be changes galore during the match, just one alteration has been made to the starting XV that faced Kenya on June 10. Veteran Mathias Ochwo comes in for rookie Robert Aziku at lock.

It is a change that Seguya believes will yield dividends. “[Ochwo] is a good jumper, a good ball carrier, a good tackler, and team leader. He is going to bring all the mix to the game.”

So, if you are to hedge a bet on any Rugby Cranes player showing the nerves of steel Makmot speaks warmly about, the smart money should be on Ochwo.
The lock always thrives whilst playing against Kenyan opposition.

Paarwater could not mask his delight after troubling Uganda at the line-out in the first leg.

It tickled his rugby taste buds alright, but the combination of Ochwo and Marvin Odongo might script something markedly different at Ngong road today.

TEAM COMPOSITIONS
RUGBY CRANES XV
15. Phillip Wokorach, 14. Lawrence Ssebuliba, 13. Michael Wokorach, 12. Pius Ogena, 11. James Odong, 10. Ivan Magomu, 9. Ivan Kirabo, 8. Marvin Odongo, 7. Scot. Oluoch, 6. Brian Asaba, 5. Mathias Ochwo, 4. Charles Uhuru, 3. Brian Odongo (captain), 2. Alex Mubiru, 1. Asuman Mugerwa
Replacements: 16.Cyrus Wathum, 17. Collins Kimbowa, 18. Adnan Mutebi, 19. Cox Muhigwa, 20. Brian Oketayot, 21. Gerald Ssewankambo, 22. Justin Kimono, 23. Ivan Makmot

Kenya Simbas XV:
15. Tony Opondo, 14. Darwin Mukidza (captain), 13. David Ambunya, 12. Patrice Agunda, 11. Jacob Ojee, 10. Isaac Adimo, 9. Samson Onsomu, 1. Moses Amusala, 2. Peter Karia, 3. Dennis Karani, 4. Simon Muniafu, 5. Oliver Mang’eni, 6. Eric Kerre, 7. Davis Chenge, 8. Joshua Chisanga
Replacements: 16. Philip Ikambili, 17. James Kubasu, 18. Curtis Lilako , 19. George Nyambua, 20. Steve Otieno, 21. Kenny Andola, 22. Brad Owako, 23. Leo Seje

ELGON CUP - RUGBY AFRICA GOLD CUP
Today - RFUEA Grounds, Ngong Road
Kenya vs. Uganda, 4pm - LIVE ON KWESE
Kenya won Elgon Cup first leg 23-18