Lady Cranes make most of Series debut
Lady Cranes 7s assistant captain Agnes Nakuya tries to fend off challenges against China. PHOTO/COURTSEY
What you need to know:
There is a clear growth curve with this team since they played at the Africa Sevens Championship last September. That was their first tournament in 13 months.
The national women’s rugby team – the Lady Cranes 7s – will find their cup more than half full after achieving the minimum target on their first appearance at the World Challenger Series in Dubai
The Lady Cranes reached the semi-finals but couldn’t punch higher, losing 45-5 to China in a one-sided contest.
While that result might have emphasized the gulf between Uganda and the top sides in this tournament – the second tier of world rugby sevens – their progress in the desert also showed how far this team has come.
Beaten by Belgium (14-5) and Thailand (19-7) on the opening day, Friday, coach Charles Onen’s team recovered superbly to make the last four.
Earlier, captain Peace Lekuru and Grace Nabagala scored two tries apiece to defeat Papua New Guinea 24-17 to make the last eight.
Revenge was served with a nerve-wrecking 17-12 victory over Belgium through Nabagala (2) and Lekuru to book a date with China.
“They (China) denied us the ball and that made it hard. There’s a lot we can learn from this,” Onen said.
There is a clear growth curve with this team since they played at the Africa Sevens Championship last September. That was their first tournament in 13 months.
Ever since then, the Lekuru-led side won the Kenya Safari Sevens in Nairobi for the first time in November.
Their target here was much more humble than the men – the Rugby Cranes 7s – whose coach Tolbert Onyango may find it difficult to point out clear positives from their display over the three days in Dubai.
Defeats to Kenya (29-7) and Germany (19-5) on Friday effectively knocked Uganda from the running for the coveted top four, finishing outside the top eight.
Onyango’s side clinched ninth place, walloping Portugal 27-12 yesterday but their cup is not even half full. It is largely empty. They must fill it fast.
The teams will head to Montevideo, Uruguay in March for the second leg of the series. Thereafter, the men will go to Germany while the women travel to Poland.
The respective top four teams will then head to Madrid, Spain for the Grand Final for a promotion/relegation playoff tournament against sides finishing bottom in the prestigious HSBC World Sevens Series – the top tier of the global game.
World Rugby Challenge Series
Results
Women – Semifinal
China 45-5 Uganda
Men – ninth place
Portugal 12-27 Uganda
