Rugby Cranes off to dreadful start

Silence filled Kyadondo grounds yesterday as Rugby Cranes started the Africa Cup Group 1B tournament on the wrong note, losing 25-15 to visiting Zimbabwe.

For a moment at the final whistle, the majority stayed motionless like they had forgotten two brilliant first half tries from debutante wing Justin Kimono. Apart from him and a late mathematical touch down from veteran flanker Robert Seguya, it was such a painful game to watch for the capacity crowd.

On a slippery turf following rain that subsided in time for kick off, the visitors fired the first shot on eight minutes when Tangai Nematiire went over.

Fly-half Tichafara Makwanya missed the resultant conversion but Uganda didn’t respond until half an hour had been played.
Kimono, 19, announced his arrival with two tries in a space of three minutes. First, he dummied two defenders to score in the 31st minute.

His confidence was sky-high and the brace came soon after when he picked up Seguya’s kick and chase. “He (Kimono) is a brilliant player. Surely, one for the future,” Rugby Cranes coach Yayiro Kasasa said of the wing, who was only recalled to the team from the under-19 junior side, on Wednesday.

The ground was buzzing despite Makwanya nailing a penalty just before the break. Uganda had buried their slow start to lead 10-8. The usual second half explosion never materialized for coach Kasasa and his troops. Two minutes of madness at the restart gifted prop Denford Mutamangira a touch down from a turnover. Wing Gardner Nichoronga got another from a good Zimbabwe breakaway.

Many mistakes
It was time for a flurry of tactical substitutions from Kasasa and his bench. Scrum-half Brian Kikawa replaced Simon Wakabi, a move that ensured that Benon Kiiza went to fullback with Allan Matsiko becoming the fly-half. Vice-captain Timothy Mudoola came in for a quiet Tony Luggya at first centre and Solomon Mawanda took the line-out duty from hooker Alex Mubiru. “We made so many small mistakes and they took advantage,” Kasasa lamented.

Makwanya put an exclamation mark on the victory through a drop goal to render Seguya’s try one minute from time just mathematical.
“The first half was hard because it was slippery and they drove the ball. We needed to counter that,” Zimbabwe coach Cyprian Mandenge said.

If Zimbabwe beat Madagascar on Wednesday, they will earn promotion to Africa Cup group 1A regardless of what Uganda do in the final game on Saturday.