Team lists for the May 22nd friendly international in Nairobi

Due to last minute cancellations the Ugandan team travelled with 21 players.

The Ugandan team

1. Christine Kizito
2. Fortunate Irankunda
3. Warry Nambirige
4. Evelyn Aweku
5. Winnie Atyang
6. Aaliya Adania
7. Hellen Gizamba
8. Josephine Namayega
9. Regina Athieno*
10. Helen Buteme
11. Charlotte Mudoola
12. Brenda Kayiyi
13. Beatrice Atim
14. Prossy Nakakande
15. Hadijah Namuyanja
16. Dorothy Nekesa
17. Jackie Musoke*
18. Aisha Bahhani
19. Rebecca Akwenyu
20. Claire Anena
21. Asha Nakityo
22. -

* denotes first 15s cap.

Head Coach: Henry Musoke

Assistant Coach: Bobby Musinguzi

Team Manager: Anne Sizomu

Team doctor: Joseph Kalanzi

The Kenyan team

1. Camilyne Awour

2. Adelaide Nasambu

3. Janet Midecha

4. Millicent Opala

5. Rachel Adhiambo

6. Stacy Awour

7. Abadeen Shikoyi

8. Angela Olum

9. Mary Musieka

10. Doreen Remour

11. Catherine Abilla

12. Philadelphia Olando

13. Celestine Navalayo

14. Anita Omondi

15. Irene Awino

16. Hellen Antoni

17. Rubina Wambui

18. Kezia Adhiambo

19. Irene Nyakundi

20. Irene Namai

21. Mary Otieno

22. Emily Achieng

Head coach - Sammy Kemmey

Team Manager - Yvonne Makwali

Team doctor - James Moogi

17 year old Regina Athieno capped for Uganda

Regina Athieno, a 17 year old scrumhalf who plays for Black Panthers earned her first cap for Uganda's women's rugby team. The diminutive player did enough to impress coaches, Henry Musoke and Bobby Musinguzi, in the national team trials leading to her starting in the game against Kenya during the international friendly on May 22nd. Team captain, Prossy Nakakande shifted out wide to the wing to accommodate the teenage star. Athieno first burst onto the Ugandan rugby scene as a winger in 2008.

Uganda lose to Kenya in Nairobi

Uganda and Kenya locked horns in Nairobi in a friendly international over the weekend. Similar to the situation in Kampala, there was no publicity for the women’s game that took place at the Impala grounds at 11.30am. Kenya started off strongly and after a quick taken penalty by the forwards, the ball was spread down the back line for the captain Celestine Navalayo to score a try in the corner. The conversion was missed and Kenya led 5 – 0 after only 10 minutes of play. That shook the Ugandans and they sprang into action and camped in the Kenyan’s 22 for the remainder of the first half. Uganda failed to take advantage of numbers when the match referee gave a Kenyan forward a yellow card for persistent infringements at the rucks. The Ugandans squandered several try scoring opportunities and only had themselves to blame for not going into the break with a lead. In the second half the Ugandans rued the chances that they had missed earlier as the Kenyans kept the Ugandans pinned in their 22. A Ugandan forward was also sent to the sin bin for persistent infringements but determined defending from the Ugandan side kept the Kenyans from crossing the whitewash. However, Angela Olum nailed a penalty to take the final score of the game to 8 – 0.

Although both teams used their forwards well in open play the Ugandans were superior in set pieces while the Kenyans made better use of their backline. Next up are the Elgon cup games that will take place in July.

I will post the team lists of both teams later on in the week.

Kenya hold Lady Cranes to a draw in Kampala

In an unpublicised international, Uganda came back in the few minutes of the game to draw the game with their Kenyan neighbours. Both teams had failed to cross the whitewash in the first half but the second half saw Kenya score twice through Doreen Remour and Adelaide Nasambu. The conversions were missed so Kenya led 10 - 00 until waves of determined attacks from the hosts had them scoring through Fortunate Irankunda and Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi. The conversions were missed as well so the game ended at 10 - 10.

These games are being played as curtain raisers to the men's Bamburi Rugby Super Series (BRSS) games. However, the women's games are not part of the BRSS and the respective teams have to source for their own sponsorship. This has been difficult for the teams and the internationals were almost called off due to lack of finances.

The return leg will be played on 22nd May in Nairobi.

The Ugandan team

1. Christine Kizito
2. Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi
3. Fortunate Irankunda
4. Evelyn Aweku
5. Winnie Atyang
6. Aaliya Adania
7. Hellen Gizamba
8. Josephine Namayega
9. Prossy Nakakande
10. Claire Anena
11. Charlotte Mudoola
12. Brenda Kayiyi
13. Beatrice Atim
14. Hadijah Namuyanja
15. Helen Buteme
16. Patricia Ayebazibwe*
17. Dorothy Nekesa
18. Aisha Bahhani
19. Rebecca Akwenyu*
20. Joan Namuyomba
21. Mary Kyoita
22. Asha Nakityo*

* denotes first 15s cap.

Head Coach: Henry Musoke

Assistant Coach: Bobby Musinguzi

Team Manager: Anne Sizomu

Team doctor: Joseph Kalanzi

The Kenyan team

1. Mary Otieno

2. Adelaide Nasambu

3. Camilyne Awour

4. Millicent Opala

5. Rachel Adhiambo

6. Stacy Awour

7. Abadeen Shikoyi

8. Angela Olum

9. Anita Omondi

10. Doreen Remour

11. Catherine Abilla *

12. Philadelphia Olando

13. Celestine Navalayo

14. Rubina Wambui

15. Irene Awino

16. Hellen Antoni *

17. Mary Musieka

18. Kezia Adhiambo

19. Judy Agengo

20. Irene Namai

21. Janet Midecha

22. Emily Achieng

* denotes first 15s cap.

Head coach - Sammy Kemmey

Team Manager - Yvonne Makwali

Team doctor - James Moogi