Rugby Cranes seek to earn big dance

KAMPALA. Between 2001 and 2008, Uganda were regulars on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. It was all down to goodwill and helping the game here grow.
The national team often got invites to the Dubai and South Africa legs on the prestigious circuit that brings together the best 7s players in the world.
Those invites weren’t forthcoming for the next eight years.
Rugby Cranes again earned the right to play on the circuit by winning the Africa Cup last September, beating Namibia 38-19 in Nairobi, Kenya.
That took coach Tolbert Onyango’s side to Dubai and Cape Town, the two opening rounds of the 10-leg 2016-17 World Series.
This weekend, Uganda can upgrade from awaiting occasional invites and become certainties for at least one season.
Rugby Cranes need to win the 12-team HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series qualifiers in Hong Kong.
Such a triumph will give Uganda core status for the 2017-18 circuit that could see the team play in Dubai, Cape Town, Wellington, Sydney, Las Vegas, Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris and London.
It’s a tough ask but everyone is relishing the shot at the biggest triumph for the short code.
“If we qualify, our lives as rugby players will change, rugby in Uganda too will have to change,” Kenya-based Philip Wokorach, the team’s biggest star, said.
African champions Uganda are placed in Pool E along with Tonga, Germany and Jamaica.
Hosts Hong Kong, Chile, Sri Lanka and Namibia are in pool F. Spain, Papua New Guinea, Uruguay and Guyana complete the draw in pool G.
This is the near-perfect slide-show for the seventh leg of the World Series.
Only the top two teams will be guaranteed passage to the quarterfinals slated for Saturday. Two other best third-placed teams will also sneak into the top eight draw.
The semifinals and finals will be held on Sunday. Germany, beaten semifinals by Hong Kong last year by a 17-7 scoreline, are favourites to win the coveted ticket.
“(Local) press here say Germany are favourites but we don’t really care much. We are here on a mission,” Michael Wokorach said.
Onyango agreed. “Not much is known about the three apart from Germany being the top seeds,” the Kenyan-born tutor said.
In pursuit of the ultimate goal, Onyango picked Marvin Odongo, Fred Odur and Timothy Kisiga while dropping Kevin Keremundu, Alhadji Manano and James Odongo.
The hosts too will also have designs on winning after losing 24-14 in the final to Japan 12 months ago.