Uganda Men’s Sevens internationals Ian Munyani and Aaron Ofoyrwoth will, yet again, rub shoulders with the world’s former, current and rising rugby stars during the second edition of the Rugby Tens Championship in South Africa.
Munyani and Ofoyrwoth will feature alongside other notable athletes from over twenty-two nations, including world cup champions Fiji, world series holders Australia, and fellow Africans Kenya, Zimbabwe, and hosts South Africa.
Speaking to Kawowo Sports on Wednesday morning, Munyani and Ofoyrwoth intimated that the invitation was both a surprise and a delight.
“First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone who supported me; my teammates, the coaches, and the Lord. The time I received my email inviting me to go and play Tens was like a surprise to me. It will be a good experience because this is the first time ever since I started playing rugby that I’ve been given such an invitation. I’m glad to go and represent the boys and the country,” Aaron Ofoyrwoth said.
“I had just woken up and found a message from one of the people back in South Africa inviting me to the games. I was quite overwhelmed. I didn’t know what to make of it but I would say it is a great opportunity for me and my career. It is a stepping stone to somewhere in the professional line of rugby. Moving into these games, it’s getting an opportunity to express myself, show what I have and what Uganda rugby is made of,” Ian Munyani said.
Five franchises – Balkans Honey Badgers, Blue Bulls Rugby Union, Cape Town Wild Dogs, San Clemente Rhinos, and Serengeti Elephants – will compete in the men, women, and U18 boys & girls categories over two back-to-back rounds in the cities of Pretoria and Stellenbosch.
The Pretoria round will be held on October 7-8 while the Stellenbosch round will be on October 14-15. There is a R 200,000 cash prize (equivalent to UGX 43 million) and the Championship Franchise Trophy up for grabs for the winning side at the end of the two rounds.
Before making the trip back to South Africa, Munyani and Ofoyrwoth will be in action for their clubs Kobs and Heathens respectively in the final two circuits of the 2022 Nile Special Rugby Sevens Series.