New dawn for 7s code

Many have accused Uganda Rugby Union of neglecting 7s in preference of the 15s version.

Seven days ago, Lady Cranes finished third in the Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) 7s tournament held in Tunis, Tunisia.

The national women’s team is now ranked third in Africa but the ultimate goal is to get back to at least second, behind South Africa, something that was achieved in 2008/9.

It culminated into a maiden qualification for the Rugby World Cup 7s. Enter the men’s version of the shorter code and the superlatives are not too many.

Many have even accused Uganda Rugby Union (URU) of neglecting 7s with a lot of preference for 15s yet the former has proved to be more marketable and growing faster across the world. URU, if they are to be believed, decided to turn the page. The Rugby Cranes 7s, or rather the shorter code will be given more attention in an attempt to strike a balance.

Of course that needs funding to enable the team participate in tournaments. Unlike the 15s, 7s has always been left to ‘grow’ through the national circuit.
Uganda has also become perennial bridesmaids at the annual Kenya Safaricom 7s with invitations to play in Zambia shelved due to the familiar reason: ‘lack of funding’.

They were better days for 7s when the national got invitations to play on the IRB World Sevens Series circuit in Dubai and South Africa, and played well at the Commonwealth Games.

The long journey to get back to that level starts this weekend when Rugby Cranes feature in the CAR 7s in Mombasa, Kenya hoping for a fresh start. It’s the start of a four-year cycle with largely young players, most of whom will play their first international tournament.
“The goal now is to play in as many tournaments as possible and play in the World Series,” team manager Godwin Kayangwe told Saturday Monitor. Head coach Tolbert Onyango has given his apprentices a chance to cement their names in Ugandan rugby folklore by beating the hot and humid coastal conditions. “Most of them are good and have the skills but we have had to improve on the physique and their speed in line with the current state of 7s across the world,” Onyango said.

The team, led by Toyota Buffaloes’ Alfred Bijik, has had to do sessions in the 2pm heat at Kyadondo as a means of acclimatizing. Uganda has been drawn in pool C alongside ‘unknown quantities’ Nigeria and Senegal. The Island nation of Madagascar completes the pool in the 12-team continental tournament.

Onyango would need a miracle to match what the Lady Cranes managed in Tunisia and no wonder the team management and players call this “a fresh start.”

UGANDA’S 7S TEAM
Alfred Bijik (captain/Buffaloes), Emmanuel Echodu (Impis), Ezekiel Okol(Buffaloes), Charles Uhuru (Buffaloes), Ramathan Govire (Kobs), James Ijongyat (Kobs), Gabriel Aredo (Warriors), Jasper Ochen (Heathens), Charles Chandia (Pirates), Philip Pariyo (Buffaloes), Keith Seruyange (Impis), Charles Onenchan (Buffaloes)
Head coach: Tolbert Onyango.
Team manager: Godwin Kayangwe Arinaitwe.
Doctor: Tonny Stone Luggya

CAR 7s draw

Pool A: Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Kenya C
Pool B: Tunisia, Namibia, Zambia, Kenya B
Pool C: Nigeria, Madagascar, Senegal, Uganda

ikigongo@ug.nationmedia.com