URU-Blue Bulls bond retraces 2007 path
Now a bull. Prop Santos Senteza (facing camera) is one of the seven players chosen by the union to attend a camp in South Africa. PHOTO/EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
URU plans to send the rest of the Rugby Cranes 15s squad to the home of the world champions ahead of the Rugby Africa Cup in July 2024.
There are two details that everyone who is familiar with the secrets of Uganda’s biggest triumph in the 15s rugby. That trophy has now caught dust which is 17 years thick, literally.
Many credit former South Africa Springbok Chester Williams (RIP) for the work he did here in 2006 as coach as being part of the foundation.
The other ingredient of the 2007 Africa Cup triumph in Madagascar is the High Performance camp the team had in South Africa.
Uganda Rugby Union (URU) are trying to recreate that meal by sending seven players to Pretoria for a three-month High Performance Camp in Pretoria.
This high-performance camp is part of a Memorandum of Understanding agreed between the Uganda Rugby Union and Blue Bulls Rugby Union of South Africa.
Props Santos Senteza and Ivan Kabagambe, hooker Faraji Odugo, flanker Byron Oketayot, eighth men Eliphaz Emong and Sydney Gongdonyo, and scrumhalf Conrad Wanyama left the country for the Rainbow nation.
“Memorandum of Understanding signed by these two Unions will herald a partnership geared towards high-performance, up skilling of coaches and players and allow Ugandan Rugby to learn from one of the best Unions in the world known for developing and producing some of the best talent in South African Rugby and the world,” URU chief executive officer Isaac Lutwama Nsubuga said.
They were flagged off by National Council of Sports (NCS) officials.
URU plans to send the rest of the Rugby Cranes 15s squad to the home of the world champions ahead of the Rugby Africa Cup in July 2024.
Uganda will host the tournament at Namboole stadium for the first time. The national stadium is currently closed for rehabilitation.
