Africa Men's 7s Bronze gets Uganda a lifeline
Rugby Cranes 7s celebrate finishing third at the Africa Men's Sevens. PHOTO/DENISE NAMALE
What you need to know:
After a annihilating Algeria 45-7 and forcing their way past Burkina Faso 36-19. Uganda who had not peaked where humbled 35-5 by the hosts in the their last pool game.
HARARE. The Rugby Sevens Cranes arrived in Harare, Zimbabwe as defending champions and with a reputation to uphold.
"As defending champions, we were the team everyone wanted to beat," coach Tolbert Onyango said.
A third place finish could not defend the title but Uganda will fly back home with a win of sorts.
A 24-12 win against Zimbabwe in the third place off got them Bronze, just enough to send them to the World Challenger Series on top of progressing to the final round of the Olympics qualifiers next June.
"It was our most important game and we knew what was at stake. We had to get everything right to keep our chances alive to go as far as we could" said captain Ian Munyani.
After a annihilating Algeria 45-7 and forcing their way past Burkina Faso 36-19. Uganda who had not peaked where humbled 35-5 by the hosts in the their last pool game.
"Tomorrow is is another day. We need to go back and looked at went wrong today because we cannot afford slip any further on the second day," said vice captain Adrian Kasito at the end of Day One.
A second place finish in the pool saw the Cranes land Zambia as their quarterfinal opponents.
In the end ,Pius Ogena, Ian Munyani, Adrian Kasito and a Nobert Okeny brace got the job done as Phillip Wokorach converted twice for a 29-15 victory to set up a semifinal clash with giants South Africa in what was to be a big test.
The Rugby Sevens Cranes played their best game of the continental showpiece against South Africa, giving the five time World Series champions a run for their money.
Munyani and Aaron Ofoyrwoth dotted dotted down to keep it at 14-all until late on when the Blitzboke found an extra gear to score an extra two tries for a 26-14 win.
Neighbours Kenya left Harare the biggest winners after upsetting South Africa 17-12 in the final.
Kenya get that all-important Olympics spot while South Africa will have to go through the reperchage route.
AFRICA MEN'S SEVENS
Pool results
Uganda 45-7 Algeria
Uganda 36-19 Burkina Faso
Zimbabwe 35-5 Uganda
Quarterfinal
Uganda 29-15 Zambia
Semifinal
Uganda 14-26 South Africa
Third place playoff
Uganda 24-12 Zimbabwe
