She Cranes turn guns on Samoa and Scotland
Kampala- The day you stop dreaming you stop living. The day you stop hoping you die. Yet, you can rest in the belief that every new day is a new beginning.
Uganda is not discussed as one of the favourites to win the 2019 edition of the Netball World Cup because England, New Zealand, Jamaica, South Africa and Australia have proved more successful in the game over years.
However, the She Cranes will not stop hunting for better placement at the world event that started yesterday in Liverpool, England.
After Uganda’s clash with England, the She Cranes have now turned their guns to Samoa and Scotland whom they have a huge advantage over.
Coach Vincent Kiwanuka says the She Cranes are in a better position to win their remaining fixtures in group D against seeds 14 Samoa and seven Scotland to proceed to group G of the world event.
“Winning against a country that is better in rankings is not easy, but we have command over the other two opponents in our group and have well prepared for them,” Kiwanuka told SCORE.
Unknown quantity Samoa
The She Cranes will today play against Samoa. The two sides have never met before. While Uganda is playing her third World Cup after the 1979 and 2015 editions in Trinidad and Tobago and Australia respectively, Samoa is in for her 15th World Cup.
Samoa is likely to have a tough run as it has not faced any of the teams in group D before.
The team’s spirit was raised when Australia boosted them with a professional performance analyst and physiotherapist to assist in Liverpool.
Their key defenders Rachel Rasmusson and Geraldine (Gene) Solia-Gibb will be a force to reckon with in today’s game.
Familiar Scotland
Looking at past performances that She Cranes have proved superior to the Scottish Thistles and Kiwanuka believes it is time for the She Cranes to replicate this form in tomorrow’s game.
The Thistles fall to She Cranes 57-37 in the Commonwealth Games last year.
Scotland has fielded a team of youngsters with an average age of 24 from their league side Strathclyde Sirens who will face Uganda’s team of experienced players.
“Our youngsters believe that we can win on the world stage, they believe that we are a team that can go toe-to-toe with the best,” said team CEO Claire Nelson to Sky Sports.
In the preliminary stage one (Group D), Uganda needs to finish among the top 3 in the group to have a chance of playing for the semi-finals.
South Africa and Jamaica are the obvious opponents that the She Cranes will face in the preliminary stage two and one of Fiji or Trinidad and Tobago.
Netball World Cup
Today’s fixture
Uganda vs. Samoa LIVE SS11, 5.05pm
Tomorrow
Uganda vs. Scotland LIVE SS11, 1.05pm
