The Uganda Lady Rugby Cranes have officially been flagged off for the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup in Nairobi, Kenya.
The tournament shall be held at the RFUEA Grounds from 23rd to 31st May, and Uganda has sent a strong 28-player squad to represent the country.
The flag off was overseen by the Assistant General Secretary of the National Council of Sports (NCS), Mr Joseph Oluga, at the Copper Chimney in Lugogo.
Oluga, who was flanked by Sarah Chelangat, had praise for Uganda Rugby and noted NCS and the Uganda government’s commitment to supporting the game of rugby.
“The Government of Uganda now regards rugby as a priority sport; that’s why you see standard multipurpose facilities across the country that can be used both day and night for preparation and games,” Oluka remarked.
The National Council of Sports’ Oluga additionally noted that Uganda’s participation in this tournament has been fully funded by the government, and urged the Lady Cranes to feel at home in Nairobi, saying, “Kenya is similar to Uganda, so do not expect anything new.”
The flag off was also attended by officials from Uganda Rugby, including the Hon. Secretary Peter Odong, the newly elected Women’s 2nd Representative Phionah Karunji and the 1st Player Representative Prossy Pearce Nakakande, who expressed full confidence in the ladies.
“We have full trust in you and I hope you believe in yourselves as much as we believe in you,” Nakakande noted.
The Rugby Africa Women’s Cup, the Performance Division, as it has been dubbed, is the epitome of women’s 15s rugby on the continent.
This year, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa and Madagascar shall be competing to determine who stays in the performance division, and who drops to the second tier, to be replaced by Tunisia.
Additionally, this tournament is a pathway to the Women’s Rugby World Cup Qualifiers to be played next year.