Magomu applauds Kasito’s gutsy effort

Man of the Match. Kasito extricates himself from Ghana Full back Lesley Ansah to race away during the Pool C match on Saturday. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE

What you need to know:

  • Seizing chance. Handed the chance, usual replacement Adrian Kasito scored 13 points in Uganda’s opening 53-12 win over the visitors at a quiet Kyadondo Rugby Ground.  

Magomu applauds Kasito’s gutsy effort


BY
Adrian Kasito would be among the last players to show any emotions.
Saturday’s Rugby Africa Cup group C clash against Ghana must have felt different for a player who has spent the last few years as an understudy for Philip Wokorach.
Under normal circumstances, the France-based fullback would have started at 15 for Rugby Cranes with Kasito on the bench as a utility replacement for either him or the scrum half.

But handed the chance, man of the match Kasito made the most of it, scoring 13 points in Uganda’s opening 53-12 win over the visitors at a quiet Kyadondo rugby ground.  
‘Fantastic’
When he nailed the last of his five conversions from a difficult angle, Kasito screamed. The kick was to the right of the field where winger Solomon Okia scored one of his two tries, also the team’s sixth.
He really enjoyed it and found a fan in skipper Ivan Magomu. 

“He was fantastic, 100 percent. He is so comfortable under the highball and took us forward,” fly half Magomu said. 
This was the Betway Kobs’ utility back’s first start for Uganda at 15. He has also played as a half back at nine. 
“I prefer 15,” Kasito, an exceptional tackler, said in his post-match interview. 
That position gives a player the best view of the field and affect the game after scanning gaps more than 80 metres away. 

“I believe in myself and do what I want to do,” Kasito adds.
There was more to his game than kicking. The pick of those highlights was a kick-and-chase to set up Okia who slalomed past two defenders to score.
This is an abnormal period due to the Covid-19 pandemic. If Wokorach, a once-in-a-generation talent, was part of the team, perhaps Kasito would have watched all the eight tries from the bench.

Okia and eighth man Desire Ayera bagged two apiece. Front rowers Faraji Odugo, Brian Odongo and Ronald Kanyanya plus scrum half Aaron Ofoywroth touched down too.
With that, coaches Brian Makalama and Bobby Musinguzi saw Rugby Cranes put one foot into the quarterfinals of the tournament that also acts as the 2023 Rugby World Cup qualifying event.
Ghana face Algeria on Wednesday at Kyadondo before the latter face the hosts Uganda on Sunday. With the short turnaround, the coaches got everyone minutes which will be crucial to the rotation. 

Rugby Africa Cup
POOL C RESULT

Uganda     53-12     Ghana
WEDNESDAY
Algeria     vs.    Ghana
Sunday
Uganda     vs.    Algeria