The Lady Cranes 7’s side left for Morocco on Wednesday aboard Qatar Airways for the women’s rugby world cup qualifiers this weekend at the Stade du FUS in Rabat.
The side has been under Coach Anthony Kinene’s guise for the past seven weeks and skipper Helen Buteme is hopeful the hard work will pay off when they take on Cameroon, Zimbabwe and Senegal in the pool D games.
“We will take it one game at a time and play each like it’s a final,” Buteme told Kawowo Sports. The Lady Cranes can make it to the sixth edition of the 7’s World Cup due Russia next year if they win five successive games.
“We can do it and therefore, there is no holding back.” During the past edition in Dubai three years ago, they lost heavily to New Zealand (58-00) in the first pool game, suffered another 24-00 loss after dominating the second pool game against South Africa. The two losses were preceded by very narrow defeats to Italy (10-7) and Brazil the Bowl quarters (10-7).
TEAM TO MOROCCO
Asha Nakityo (Thunderbirds), Brenda Kayiyi (Black Panthers), Charlotte Mudoola (Black Panthers), Claire Anena (Black Panthers), Emmanuella Oroma(Black Panthers), Helen Buteme (Entebbe Sharks), Hellen Gizamba (Black Panthers), Matilda Tino (Thunderbirds), Prossy Nakakande (Black Panthers), Regina Athieno (Entebbe Sharks), Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi (Thunderbirds), Winnie Atyang (Thunderbirds)
Team manager: Dominica Kulia
Team doctor: Joseph Kalanzi
Email: allan@kawowo.com, Twitter: @AllanDarren