Coach Onyango cannot wait for 2020

It could be the festive season but Rugby Cranes Sevens coach Tolbert Onyango is yet to down his tools, at least until the festivities are done.
He took time off to name a 15-man training squad in preparations for the 2020 eventful calendar on Monday. Onyango’s troops travel to South America in Viña del Mar, Chile (February 15-16) and Montevideo, Uruguay (February 22-23).

They then shift focus onto Hong Kong for the April 3-5 World Series Qualifier before they take a shot at Olympics qualification (June 20-21). The gruelling line-up of tasks continues with the annual sevens Africa Cup later in the year.
It’s therefore a no-brainer that Onyango has kicked off preparations this early. The side is expected to start training next month, less than a month away to the Uruguay and Chile trips.
“This has increased the number of tournaments we can take part in. It automatically gives us improved preparations for Hong Kong,” said Onyango on World Rugby’s introduction of the ‘New Challenger Series’ which will have Uganda and 12 other sides compete in three legs.

The busy 2020 calendar lays ground for ‘divorce’ of the 15s from the 7s because of the influx of fixtures yet there’s a narrow pool of players to be shared. The way forward is to introduce more faces into both the 7s and 15s national team set ups. The Rugby Sevens Cranes finished second in the concluded Africa Cup.