Uganda’s Lady Cranes will have the HSBC Division III qualification in mind when they embark on the Rugby Africa Women’s 7s.
The 12-team tournament will take place at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi, Kenya, on November 7 and 8.
Uganda are drawn in Pool C alongside Madagascar, Mauritius and Burkina Faso. The real challenge will come at the knockout phase against other continental powerhouses like Kenya and Tunisia, who will also be looking for a qualification spot to the HSBC Division III.
South Africa’s Springbok Women, who are the defending champions of the Rugby Africa Women’s 7s, are already in the HSBC Division II and therefore this qualification pathway doesn’t apply to them. That then creates a situation where, should South Africa defend their title, the losing finalists would book their slot to Dubai for the Emirates Dubai 7s.
Lady Cranes 7s head coach, Charles Onen, is confident in Uganda’s chances not only of winning the Rugby Africa Women’s 7s, but also of returning to the global stage.
The Lady Cranes 7s have come close but always fallen short on the continent, a factor that could possibly put pressure on the Cranes.
“The pressure will always be there, but it’s working through hard times that you achieve success. We shall deal with the pressure by sticking to our goal as a team,” remarks Onen.
The main stumbling block for Uganda has been the Kenya Lionesses, a side that the Lady Cranes haven’t beaten since the 2023 Safari 7s. Last year, Kenya beat Uganda in the semifinal 17-10 with the very last piece of action.
“Unfortunately, it’s not all about beating Kenya. Each game in this competition is important, and when we meet at any stage we shall have to take it personally and be on top of our game after falling short in previous outings with them,” Onen candidly notes.
The Lady Cranes 7s are Uganda’s last hope of being represented on the global stage as their male counterparts fell short in September at the hands of Zimbabwe.
Pools
- Pool A: South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda.
- Pool B: Kenya, Tunisia, Ghana, Egypt.
- Pool C: Uganda, Madagascar, Mauritius, Burkina Faso.