Rugby Cranes snub upsets Kalyango
Kalyango tumbles to the ground after a tackle during the Elgon Cup against Kenya last year. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
Rugby. Reigning rugby player of the year ignored by national team selectors and will miss the Rugby Africa Tier 1B tournament starting Sunday at Kyadondo.
KAMPALA. Oscar Kalyango is officially Uganda’s best ruby player at the moment. He is the Uganda Rugby Union (URU) reigning most valuable player while journalists under their umbrella body, Uspa, picked him as the best for last year.
Those accolades, however, are not enough to earn Kalyango a place on the national team. He can’t even make the bench.
After being ignored for the Elgon Cup return leg against Kenya, Kalyango has again been left in the cold by national team selectors for the Rugby Africa Tier 1B tournament starting Sunday at Kyadondo.
The Kobs player will only support his Rugby Cranes teammates from the stands.
“As a player I am devastated,” Kalyango told Daily Monitor. “However, I am not entirely out. I will be back. It’s not the number of times you fall down that matter but the number of times you get up,” he added.
“I just have to support the team as they fight for Tier A promotion and focus on bouncing back,” he added. Kalyango started the year with a knee injury, which wouldn’t let him scale the heights of last season.
While he put in some decent shifts for Kobs, he has not replicated the displays with the national team. With the likes of Gerald Ssewankambo and Alfred Bijik yearning for a national team chance, Kalyango’s spot was always going to be at stake.
Kalyango acknowledges that he is not at the same level like last season but he never imagined failing to make the 23-man squad for the Elgon Cup two weeks ago. Being snubbed for this weekend’s tournament has added salt to injury.
“It’s (failing to make the squad) a shocker. I never saw it coming because I have given in 101 per cent in training despite my demanding work schedule. But am sure the coaches have a valid reason for making the decision,” he said. Cranes technical advisor, Herbert Wafula, a member of the selection panel, is confident that the best players were chosen and they will do a good job.
“Everyone on the team is there on merit. We have been following up on every player in training and we have chosen the best possible 23,” Wafula said.
RUGBY CRANES SQUAD
FORWARDS: Brian Odongo (captain), Martial Tchumukam, Asuman Mugerwa, Denis Mugambe, Alex Mubiru, Cyrus Wathum, Pius Ogena, Arthur Mpande, Mathias Ochwo, Scot Oluoch, Charles Uhuru, John Wandicho, Ronald Musajja
BACKS: Kevin Markmot, Joseph Aredo, Davis Kiwalabye, Chris Lubanga, James Ijongat, James Odongo, Justin Kimono, Lawrence Ssebuliba, Alfred Bijik, Gerald Ssewankambo, Michael Wokorach (vice-captain).
