All roads lead to Kabale on the 10th and 11th of July, as the Gorilla 7s mark a 7th edition milestone.
This preseason tournament attracts teams from Uganda and Rwanda, with the home sides using it as a precursor to the National 7s.
In the last edition, the Walukuba Barbarians emerged overall champions, paving the way to their first National 7s title.
This year, the Barbarians have made it clear they want to retain their Gorilla 7s title by fielding two sides in last Saturday’s Busiro 7s.
According to Uganda Rugby’s Age Grade Rugby officer, Dr Jude Rwakayanga, rugby at high altitudes is ‘an extreme sport’, hence exposing the athletes to the different conditions they may encounter in their journey.
Whereas many teams expressed interest in competing, this year’s edition can only accommodate 12 men’s and 8 women’s teams, a standard which was proposed and adopted by Uganda Rugby ahead of the National 7s.
The wider vision for Gorilla 7s is for a tournament that goes beyond Kabale District, to neighbouring areas in the Kigezi region. Additionally, the Gorilla 7s have an age-grade program that has been running throughout the primary and secondary schools as well as in the communities.
This week, Pearson Makoma, the chairman of Kigezi Rugby Association, received a scrum machine from Engsol’s director, Sir Ian Walker, for the furtherance of rugby development in the region.
For the thrill seekers, the Gorilla 7s provide a good reason to travel, enjoy some rugby action, then engage in tourist activities, such as boat cruises, bird watching, tree planting and hiking, among other activities.