Rugby Cranes rally to regain test rugby’s lost clout

The Rugby Cranes assemble this Saturday at Kings Park Arena, Bweyogerere for a Victoria Cup clash against Zambia before playing Kenya at the same venue a week later. 

It will be the first time they are in action at home with fans in front of fans in four years.

The last time Uganda hosted a men’s test competition was Rugby Africa Cup Pool C which had Ghana and Algeria hosted at Kyadondo Rugby Club for the one-week tournament, played behind empty stands due to pandemic restrictions. 

Uganda won the group with six points to progress.

The Rugby Cranes’ next job was away in Aix-en-Provence, France for the 2022 Rugby Africa Men’s Cup where they climaxed with a 30–29 win over Senegal to finish fifth out of eight nations. 

Since then, the Elgon and Victoria Cups have both been cancelled once.

No test rugby has been played by the Rugby Cranes since then. The return of test rugby at Kings Park will be a massive occasion the players want to use to rebuild the brand affected by the Covid -19 Pandemic and prioritisation of the Rugby Cranes 7s.

“We want to bring 15s international rugby back to the top where it belongs.  It has also been a long time since we played in front of our fans and we want to give our best.” said captain Ivan Magomu who is deputised by Pirates’ teammate Conrad Wanyama and Kobs' Byron Oketayot.

The trip to France was also his second mission as captain after getting the role in June 2021 prior to the Rugby Africa Cup Pool C games. He thinks this group can transform into something special as it undergoes a rebuild. 

Eight debutants Liam Walker, Kato Nicolas, Shafik Sembusi,  Timothy Kisiga, Sydney Gongodyo, Frank Kidega and Jude JJuko come with youth and are expected to become mainstays in future.

 “We have gone for experience and youth, we can’t throw away the experience particularly because of the ball they are going to set. As years go by, the experienced guys could be dropping off and the debutants filling their places,” said head coach Fred Mudoola after the final 28-man squad announcement at Kings Park on Sunday. 

Test rugby was the epitome of the game in Uganda but the last five years have seen unavoidable circumstances force it play second to the shorter code. 

Squad: Faraji Odugo, Nathan Bwambale, Jude Jjuko, Santos Senteza, Ivan Kabagambe, Collins Kimbowa, Charles Uhuru, Robert Aziku, Eliphaz Emong, Joachim Chisaano, Mark Omoding,  Sydney Gongodyo, Frank Kidega, Byron Oketayot (Vice-captain), Asuman Mugerwa, Nicolas Kato, Liam Walker, Eric Mula , Thomas Gwokto, Alhadji Manano, Michael Wokorach, Timothy Kisiga, Shakim Sembusi, Jacob Ochen, Joseph Oyet, Conrad Wanyama (vice-captain) and Ivan Magomu (captain)

Rugby Cranes fixtures 

Saturday: Uganda vs. Zambia, Kings Park

October 31: Kenya vs. Zambia, Kyadondo

November 5: Uganda vs. Kenya, Kings Park

November 11: Kenya vs Uganda, Kisumu