The 12-team competition is the first of its kind in the Pearl, and has attracted teams from as near as Kyadondo Rugby Club and as far as Kenya, South Africa and the United Kingdom
Played over two days and in three groups of four teams each, a champion shall prevail, taking home the highly coveted title of being the first winner of the Kampala International 7s which is set to be an annual fixture.
The theme this year is Green the Game, with a target of 7 million trees to be planted over 7 years across 100 acres of land in Uganda.
Day One will kick off with group games, with the top 2 teams in each group earning automatic promotion to the quarterfinal stage. They shall be joined by the 2 next-best 3rd place teams, giving a lifeline to some of the teams that may have fallen short on Day 1, but still possess a threat.
The international teams have gone all out, fielding their strongest teams possible. The Strathmore Leos and Nondescript finished 5th and 6th respectively in the Kenya National 7s while the South Africa All Stars and Shogun Rugby are invitational sides with lots of international experience. Shogun has a blend of Kenya 7s, the Shujaa, the Kenya Simbas and other up-and-coming talent.
On the local scene, heavy hitters like the Black Pirates, Heathens, KOBs and Buffaloes have also been preparing for this tournament and are ready to protect the home turf. Of the teams that finished in the Top 5 of the Uganda National 7s Series, the Jinja Hippos are the notable omissions, creating room for teams like Mongers, Warriors and Rams to compete at this level.
The standout side in the tournament for the Ugandan fans is the Uganda Emerging Cranes, a side that doubles as the academy for the senior Uganda 7s program. Expect players as young as 18 years and from teams far and wide, but do not expect results from a team in development.
The Pools
- Group A – Black Pirates, Rams, Warriors, Shogun
- Group B – Heathens, KOBs, Emerging Cranes, SA All Stars
- Group C – Buffaloes, Mongers, Strathmore Leos, Nondescript