The Ugandan rugby fan who stayed up through the Saturday night to watch the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series is currently experiencing the five stages of grief, each at their own timing and pace.
After denial, anger, bargaining, and depression from the 17-14 result against Germany, they shall all painfully accept the loss. Again, each at their own timing and pace.
Uganda let the World Rugby Sevens Series dream slip right through their hands in that fateful Cup Quarterfinal against Germany.
A 14-00 lead from tries by Ian Munyani and Philip Wokorach, who converted both, at half time was systematically smothered by Germany in the second half. Beginning with Tim Lichtenberg’s try in the fourth minute to make it 14-05.
The Rugby Cranes could have sealed the win after that but they butchered a try scoring opportunity in the corner with a two-man overlap. Timothy Kisiga was tackled into touch as he dived for the try.
That’s the fine margins of the game at the top level. One has got to make the absolute most of their chances lest it will come back to haunt.
And haunt is what it did. Just before the buzzer went, N. Koch scored a try worked from deep inside Germany’s territory to make it 14-10. They opted for the restart instead of the conversion to win the match.
Then they won possession on the restart. Uganda gave away up to five penalties inside their own red zone as they defended for their lives. But German captain Carlos Soteras Merz forced his way over for the match winning try to send Uganda packing.
Uganda’s players will need to pick themselves up and take to the turf again in the placement match at 5:06 p.m. EAT, their opponent to be confirmed after the Quarterfinal round.
From the german perspective , that was blunt astonishing that we got away with this non defeat . A Game for the history books