For as long as he’s donned the Rugby Cranes jersey, Marvin Odongo has stood out as one of the key players on the team.
His eighth man picks from the scrum and the ability to carry the ball forward have won him several man of the match plaudits.
However, when the Cranes face off with Tunisia on Saturday, Odongo will be doing his postgraduate diploma exams at Uganda Management Institute.
While sources say the Pirates forward is nursing an injury that kept him out, Odongo told Kawowo Sports that the only reason he’s not playing is because of school and work commitments.
“I am out because I have exams and work,” Odongo revealed when contacted on Wednesday.
Odongo joins his back-row partner Scot Oluoch who is also ruled out because of work commitments.
Oluoch already missed the trip to Senegal and is said to have played his last game for the Cranes this year.
Odongo’s absence will see Ronald Musajjagulanyago pair up with Brian Asaba at the back.
Musajjagulanyago, who is playing his second game this year, will play on the open side while Asaba will be at the blind side of the back row.
Odongo scored Uganda’s first try of the year in the Elgon Cup tie with Kenya at Legends on June 10.
Uganda is third on the six-team log and need to defeat Tunisia to stay in the chase for the championship.