Within just two appearances at the Rugby World Cup Sevens, Nobert Okeny might have just taken the spotlight as Uganda’s impact player.
He came off the bench in the bowl quarterfinal against Korea and started the semifinal against Hong Kong, and both times scored the match-winning try for Uganda.
For a man who sat out the entire World Rugby Challenger Series in Chile, Okeny has taken the opportunity presented to him in Cape Town and run away with it.
“Coming off (the) bench does not mean you’re not good enough. Sometimes you’re just on (the) bench because the starting guys are good enough too. So it’s just an opportunity that you need to pick up when they give you a game,” Okeny said to the media after the Hong Kong game.
Okeny is among the half of the Ugandan squad making their maiden Rugby World Cup appearance, and he has marked that milestone in style.
All the players on Tolbert Onyango’s squad, including Okeny himself, have preached and practiced the gospel of being a team player. Okeny is excited that the team recovered well from the first defeat and he hopes they can finish on a high in the last match.
“It’s been a big opportunity, making it to the WC squad alone means something big for me as an individual and being able to perform despite what I would say not so good start yesterday. I am happy that the team has picked up and been able to win two games today and I hope tomorrow we seal it better,” Okeny said.
On the final day of the Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022, Uganda will face Germany in the Bowl Final at 10:36 a.m. EAT.