Uganda Men have been a mainstay in the World Rugby 7s Challenger Series since the tournament’s inception in 2020. They have played in all three past editions and are set to compete in the fourth come January next year.
However, they have not been able to go past the quarterfinals at any of the events played in Chile, Uruguay, and South Africa. Some of the exits have been emotional and painful; for example, the 17-14 defeat to Germany in the last play in Santiago, Chile in 2022.
The quarterfinal is a significant barrier that Uganda has failed to overcome in their quest for qualification to the 7s World Series.
Coach Tolbert “Tolly” Onyango acknowledges the emotional pain of such early exits.
“Uganda is one of the sides that have taken part in quite a number of Challenger Series. We’ve never gotten past the quarterfinal stages. Obviously, that has been very painful to us. But as individuals and as a team, we are constantly looking at where we are falling short and the areas in which we can be able to improve. So it’s a matter of ticking the boxes and ensuring that we are mentally and physically prepared for the tournament ahead of us,” Onyango said to Kawowo Sports on Tuesday afternoon.
Two of the teams that know to strike Uganda where it hurts most are Germany and neighbours Kenya. As fate would have it, they have all been drawn in the same pool for the 2024 series opener in Dubai, UAE.
check out the men’s pools
7s Challenger Series 2024: Uganda Men draw familiar foes for Dubai opener
Uganda, Kenya, and Germany have been drawn in Pool C…
Onyango, who has been in charge of the national team for close to two decades, is cautious of the threat Kenya and Germany possess.
“We have played them before with a mixed bag of results. For Kenya, they beat us in Safari 7s. Very physical side, we fell short. We started off the game with a yellow card and from there on, it was a bit hard for us to come through. For Germany, we beat them in Safari 7s. However, in the Challenger Series (last year), they beat us twice. It’s going to be a very tough pool, so we can’t get too excited at the moment.”
But he remains optimistic that his charges are preparing well for the challenge ahead.
“Yes, we are excited at the prospect of playing two very good teams. We really need to be on top of our form come the 11th (January) so that we can be able to push through. Our aim, really, is to top our pool… so it’s going to be quite interesting,” Onyango said.
The team have been actively training at Kyadondo Rugby Club and Kings Park despite the heavy downpour in Kampala.
