Hello Ugandan rugby! I’m excited to be back in your mailbox for the first time this year. Let’s catch up on some of the latest developments.
Rugby returning everywhere… but Uganda!
On October 7, 2020, URU cancelled the 2019/20 Uganda rugby season and set a proposed return date of January 23, 2021. It is now 5 days past this date, and there is yet to be communication on the immediate future of rugby in the country.
My sources at Lugogo revealed to me that URU plans to call off the 2020/21 men’s league and replace it with a franchise tournament. I could not get any details about women’s rugby, but I was told that there will be some action for them.
However, time is running out and we need to hear something… anything from URU.
Quick look across the continent: Zambia Rugby Union okayed contact rugby in the country on December 8, 2020 and held Christmas rugby tournaments with 15 teams taking part. Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Sudan are gearing for the Arab Rugby Championship that will be hosted in Alexandria, Egypt from February 11, 2021. Our biggest rivals Kenya Rugby Union have confirmed that the Kenya Cup will kick off in February.
Locally, other sports in Uganda have resumed activity. Football, which enjoys majority funding from the government, resumed its premier league, cricket is having national team trials and basketball are training for Afrobasket championship in February.
Only the Uganda men’s rugby sevens national team have resumed training.
What does this mean?
Uganda Rugby Union has up to 10 products, more than 5 national teams and over 500 players under their care. Without any rugby being played, this will affect the attractive value of the products to sponsors and government funding to the union, and the national teams are likely to drop in rankings.
The longer the players go without competitive rugby, the more we shall continue to lose these talents from the sport. For those that stay, the less the quality of rugby they will play. And with less time to get ready for competitive rugby, they will be at risk of increased load.
Some of 2021’s tournaments (Rugby Africa Cup and Rugby Africa Sevens) are pre-qualifiers for Rugby World Cup events (Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2022 and Rugby World Cup in 2023). It goes without saying that we need to put our best foot forward to stand a chance of qualifying for these events.
C’mon, URU, say something! Do something!
This week’s rugby news roundup:
- Rugby Africa released the 2021 calendar, with 5 competitions lined up to kick off from March. Uganda men’s and women’s sevens and fifteens national teams are set to take part in at least 3 of those competitions.
- Exactly a month from now, the Kenya Cup will be returning to action. This return date was confirmed by Kenya Rugby Union, but no fans will be allowed in the stands.
What’s happening in your area? Let’s continue this conversation on my Twitter and inbox by replying this email directly.
Have a good week!
