A dream Olympic Games appearance and an elusive ticket to the World Rugby Sevens Series are on Uganda’s wishlist for 2023.
To achieve both, the Men’s Sevens national team will need to win the Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens and the World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series respectively.
With just under two months to the first tournament, training officially began this week at Kyadondo Rugby Club with nineteen players taking part.
Uganda Men’s Sevens in training:
- Ian Arnold Munyani – KOBs
- Desire Ayera – Stanbic Black Pirates
- Alex Aturinda – Stanbic Black Pirates
- Micheal Wokorach – Platinum Credit Heathens
- Nobert Okeny – Platinum Credit Heathens
- Adrian Kasito – KOBs
- Aaron Ofoyrwoth – Platinum Credit Heathens
- Timothy Kisiga- Stanbic Black Pirates
- Denis Etwau – Jinja Hippos
- Mubarak Wandera- Stanbic Black Pirates
- Hossana Opileni – Rams
- Timothy Mugisha – Jinja Hippos
- William Lukwago – Mongers
- Yasin Waswa – Jinja Hippos
- Ivan Otai – Impis
- Aaron Tukei – Toyota Buffaloes
- Philip Wokorach- A.S.B.C Vaucluse Rugby (France)
- Allan Olango – Rhinos
- Mark Osuna – KOBs
The crew from the last two years – excluding William Nkore and Karim Arinaitwe, and Isaac Massanganzira – have been joined by a cohort of fresh talent. These are U20 international Hossana Opileni, William Lukwago, Allan Olango, Yasin Wasswa, Mark Osuna, and Ivan Otai.
Uganda will face the usual challengers during two rounds of the Challenger Series on April 22-23 and April 29-30 in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
- Participating nations in World Rugby Sevens Challenger Series: Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Jamaica, Korea, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Uganda, Zimbabwe.
The Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens will be held on September 16-17 in Zimbabwe. This will serve as Africa’s qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, France.