Harlequins move will give me Cranes chance - Semwami

What you need to know:

Rugby. Semwami will hope to emulate the likes of Ivan Kirabo, who played for Uganda last year, only after moving to Kenyan side Kabras Sugar which fields some Ugandans.

KAMPALA.

After weeks of speculation, wing Daudi Semwami’s move from Rimula Rhinos to Kenyan side Harlequins has finally materialised.
Semwami, 25, joined Rhinos in 2014 from Makerere University side, Impis. And he now hopes his latest move can give him a fair chance of representing Uganda in both the sevens and 15s set-ups. He has been called up for training in both codes of the game but never makes the grade to don the Cranes shirt.
“I believe I have moved to a good club,” Semwami, speaking on phone from Nairobi yesterday, told Daily Monitor. “I will get more exposure to help me expound on my game and in the process help me break into the national teams.”
Semwami has over the years improved as a player, turning into Rhinos’ lethal weapon as he ran in tries for fun during his two year tenure at the club. It was no surprise that Rhinos were reluctant to release the Namilyango College alumni when he asked out.
The situation created a mini standoff between club and player as the latter vowed not to play a game until his release.
“I was not comfortable playing for them (Rhinos) yet I had let them know of my intentions but they chose not to release me,” said the speedster.
Semwami joins a cast of Ugandans at Harlequins including Joseph Aredo, Aaron Ofoyrwoth, Solomon Okia, Ronald Musajjagulanyago and Dennis Tialata. With all those familiar faces as new teammates, Semwami expects to easily blend in with the Kenya Cup going on.

Quality and quantity
At a club of Harlequins’ stature, it’s always never going to be easy for Semwami to break into the side because of the quality and numbers in their roaster.
But for a man of his will power, he believes the competition will take nothing away from him but only make him a better player.
“The completion for places will make me better as I will have to learn lot and work hard,” he opined. Semwami will hope to emulate the likes of Ivan Kirabo, who played for Uganda last year, only after moving to Kenya with Kabras Sugar which also added Asuman Mugerwa and Pius Ogen to their ranks.