Uganda triumph over Kenya in Elgon Cup curtain raiser

The Ugandan women (Lady Cranes) hosted their Kenyan counterparts at Kampala Rugby Club on 24th May in a curtain raiser game to the men's international. The Kenyan women kicked off and for the first 10 minutes the Ugandan players were locked in their 22 as they fumbled their passes and made numerous handling errors and seemed to be a collective bundle of nerves. The Ugandans eventually settled into the game and the back 3 were easily able to field the kicks from Kenyan fly half Doreen Remour and begun to punish the Kenyans for giving away possession with well placed kicks by Helen Buteme and Rachel Kakaire over their isolated fullback making it hard for them to advance out of their 22.

Ugandan captain Christine Kizito led her troops from the front when she made several runs through the Kenyans and was unlucky to be stopped short of the try line each time. The Kenyan pack dominated the scrums making it difficult for the Ugandan scrumhalf Joan Andika to get clean ball away to her backs. In the lineouts Stella Bakole won all her balls and succeeded in stealing half of the Kenyans throws while in open play the Ugandan backs and forwards dominated and the Kenyans soon succumbed to pressure and gave away numerous penalties. Rachel Kakaire missed an easy kick from infront of the posts but made up for it by slotting another penalty to put the hosts ahead 03-00. A penalty on the 5 resulted in a try after Joan Andika tapped and passed it to hard hitting Fortunate Irankunda who drove over the try line. Kakaire easily converted it to take the score to 10-00. The Kenyan fullback, Anita Omondi, was given a yellow card for punching Joan Andika while the Ugandan scrumhalf was also sent to the sin bin for retaliating meaning that both teams were down to 14 players for 10 minutes just before the break. A series of slick passes between Charlotte Mudoola, Hadija Namuyanja and Helen Buteme set up vice captain Asha Ssonko who broke 3 tackles and then made a 50 metre run to score in the corner. Kakaire missed the conversion and the Lady Cranes went into the break 15 - 00 ahead.

The second half saw Lady Cranes dominating possession but despite that the scrumhalf was still unable to get the ball out to the backs and Lady Cranes were unable to create any real try scoring opportunities. The Kenyan scrumhalf, Mary Musieka caused all sorts of trouble for the Ugandan girls (both in defence and attack) and supplied good ball to her flyhalf. In a rare foray into the Ugandan's 5, the Kenyan girls got their first points ever against Uganda (in 15 aside rugby) when the referee awarded a penalty try for a high tackle by Kakaire on their winger Irene Namayi. Angela Olum converted to bring the scores to 15-07. This revitalised the Kenyans and quick hands down the back line released Doreen Remour (the Kenyan player of the day) who looked sure to score after breaking 2 tackles and making a 40 metre sprint down the wing. Unluckily for the Kenyans, Remour was chased down by Helen Buteme and tackled in the 5 off the pitch. That was the closest the Kenyans got to scoring and spent the remainder of the game in their half. In the last minute of the game, Rachel Kakaire nailed another penalty to end the game at 18 - 07. The return leg will be held in August in Nairobi on a date yet to be confirmed.

Lady Cranes

1. Warry Nambirige (Rangers)
2. Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi (Thunderbirds)
3. Fortunate Irankunda (Black Panthers)
4. Ann Tumwine (Thunderbirds)
5. Christine Kizito (captain) (Thunderbirds)
6. *Brenda Kayiyi (Black Panthers)
7. Dorothy Nekesa (Thunderbirds)
8. Stella Bakole (Thunderbirds)
9. Joan Andika (Rangers)
10. Charlotte Mudoola (Rangers)
11. Asha Ssonko (vice captain) (Thunderbirds)
12. Hadija Namuyanja (Rangers)
13. Helen Buteme (Black Panthers)
14. Sauda Adiru (Thunderbirds)
15. Rachel Kakire (Thunderbirds)
16. Stella Kyalikunda (Thunderbirds)
17. Alice Nakyonyi (Thunderbirds)
18. Evelyn Aweku (Thunderbirds)
19. Josephine Namayega (Thunderbirds)
20. Winnie Atyang (Thunderbirds)
21. *Prossy Nakakande (Black Panthers)
22. Joan Namuyomba (Thunderbirds)

Coach: Sam Ahamya
Assistant: Ramsey Olinga

Tries: Fortunate Irankunda (1), Asha Ssonko (1)
Conversions: Rachel Kakaire (1)
Penalties: Rachel Kakaire (2)
Yellow cards: Joan Andika

Replacements: Stella Kyalikunda for Brenda Kayiyi, Winnie Atyang for Dorothy Nekesa, Josephine Namayega for Ann Tumwine, Alice Nankyonyi for Warry Nambirige and Joan Namuyomba for Joan Andika.

Kenya

1. Emily Achieng (Mwamba Invaders)
2. Camilyne Awuor (Mwamba Invaders)
3. Mary Atieno (Mwamba Invaders)
4. Angela Olum (Mwamba Invaders)
5. *Millicent Opalla (Mwamba Invaders)
6. Aberdeen Shikhoyi (Mwamba Invaders)
7. Philadelphia Olando (Mwamba Invaders)
8. Adeline Nasambu (Rovers)
9. Mary Musieka (Mwamba Invaders)
10. Doreen Remour (Mwamba Invaders)
11. Irene Namayi (Rovers)
12. Judy Agengo (Rovers)
13. Nereah Awino (Mwamba Invaders)
14. Celestine Navalayo (captain) (Mwamba Invaders)
15. Anita Omondi (Mwamba Invaders)
16. *Stacy Awuor (Vivi Girls)
17. Dorcas Ndanu (Rovers)
18. *Janet Midecha (Vivi Girls)
19. Rachael Adhiambo (Rovers)
20. Yvonne Makwali (Mwamba Invaders)
21. *Rubina Wambui (Vivi Girls)
22. *Kezia Awuor (Vivi Girls)

Coach: Sammy Kemmey

Tries: Penalty try
Conversions: Angela Olum (1)
Yellow cards: Anita Omondi

Replacements: Stacy Awuor for Emily Achieng, Yvonne Makwali for Aberdeen Shikhoyi and Kezia Awuor for Judy Agengo.

* denotes first 15 aside caps


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