Lady Cranes shift focus to Africa Cup challenge
The bulk of the 7s team contributed immensely to the 15s side. PHOTO/COURTESY OF RUGBY AFRCIA
What you need to know:
The elite continental showpiece will not only crown the best on the continent but also serve as a qualifier pathway for the 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Fresh from a flawless dominant showing at the 2025 Rugby Africa Women’s Division I Championship, Uganda’s Lady Cranes XVs have set their sights firmly on the upcoming Rugby Africa Women’s Cup scheduled for May.
The elite continental showpiece will not only crown the best on the continent but also serve as a qualifier pathway for the 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
In San Pedro, Ivory Coast, the Lady Cranes delivered a near-perfect campaign by overcoming Tunisia 27-10, humiliating the hosts 52-0 before thumping Zimbabwe 63-7 to finish top of the group.
Their performance not only delivered the Division I title but also earned them a place at the Africa Cup which is another major step in their long-term rebuilding project.
The team, under the guidance of head coach Charles Onen, now awaits confirmation of Rugby Africa's continental schedule as they continue with their preparations.
“It was a good tournament for us,” head coach Charles Onen said in reflection. “Each day was a learning day for us and I like the team's progress from game one to the last game. We needed it more and had to go for it and take away the competition mathematics since Zimbabwe and Tunisia had a chance to also win it.”
With just a month to prepare for the Africa Cup, Onen and his technical team face an even tougher task ahead. The Africa Cup will feature Africa’s best, including powerhouses South Africa, Madagascar and Kenya, who pose a relatively different challenge from what Division I presented, leaving the Cranes with no option but to sharpen their skills to remain competitive.
“The next stage gets tougher and requires more preparation in terms of up-skilling and conditioning our players,” Onen added.
The victory pushed the Lady Cranes five places up in the World Rugby rankings from 39th to 34th as Tunisia, who were best-ranked prior to the games, drop from 32 to 36. Zimbabwe and Ivory Coast remain 50th and 54th respectively.
The Lady Cranes is expected to retain the core squad that triumphed in San Pedro led by captain Angella Nanyonjo and star winger Peace Lekuru who stole headlines to emerge best player in Ivory Coast.
The Uganda Rugby Union is expected to announce a revised training schedule after Rugby Africa confirms the date and venue for the tournament.
Rugby Africa Women’s Division I Championship
Uganda’s results
Uganda 27-10 Tunisia
Ivory Coast 0-52 Uganda
Uganda 63-7 Zimbabwe
