The Lady Cranes will be one of the two African representatives at the women's rugby 7's world cup to be held from the 5th to 7th March in Dubai this year. This will be a history defining moment for the Uganda's unsung sporting champions: after only 5 years of rugby in Uganda and they qualify for a world cup!!! They will be rubbing shoulders with women who have been playing rugby for twice or even 3 times that long. Amazing really.
This year will also be the year for the women's 15's world cup qualifiers. Africa's number one 7's seeds, South Africa, represented Africa in the 2006 15 aside world cup and finished last in the 12 team tournament. IRB is unlikely to increase the number of teams in the 15 aside competition so it is highly likely that South Africa may qualify virtually unchallenged. The rest of the African nations are light years behind South Africa in terms of depth, technical expertise and of course funding for the women's game. We hope that changes in the years to come but for now, South Africa still leads.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Thursday, December 18, 2008
South Africa better Uganda again
The Lady Cranes reached the finals of the Nelson Mandela Bay 7's held at the Pearson High School, Summerstrand in Port Elizabeth, South Africa after topping their pool on day 1 (Friday 12th December) with victories against Eastern Province, the Department of Correctional Services and the Blue Bulls.
In the first game against Eastern Province, Rachel Kakaire and Helen Buteme scored one try apiece with Kakaire converting to take the final score to 12 - 00. Justine Bayiga got herself on the scoresheet in the game against the Department of Correctional Services with 2 tries, while captain Christine Kizito and Fortunate Irankunda both crossed the try line once. Kakaire added 2 conversions to end the game at 24 - 00. South Africa won both their pool games against Blue Bulls and Border to top their pool and set up a date with Eastern Province in one semi final while the Cranes took on Blue Bulls in the other semi final.
The semi finals were on 13th December, and the Lady Cranes had to dig deep to get themselves into the final. The Blue Bulls scored twice before the Lady Cranes clawed their way back into the game courtesy of 2 tries from Rachel Kakaire and 1 try from Helen Buteme. The final score was 15 - 10 to the Ugandans: the South Africans beat Eastern Province to meet Uganda in their 4th finals date since 2006.
On their home ground the South Africans hammered the Ugandans into submission, easily running out the winners with an emphatic 36 - 00 drubbing.
The top try scorer of the tournament was South African Phumeza Gadu while the MVP accolade went to her captain Saloma Booysen.
ugrugbychiclet
In the first game against Eastern Province, Rachel Kakaire and Helen Buteme scored one try apiece with Kakaire converting to take the final score to 12 - 00. Justine Bayiga got herself on the scoresheet in the game against the Department of Correctional Services with 2 tries, while captain Christine Kizito and Fortunate Irankunda both crossed the try line once. Kakaire added 2 conversions to end the game at 24 - 00. South Africa won both their pool games against Blue Bulls and Border to top their pool and set up a date with Eastern Province in one semi final while the Cranes took on Blue Bulls in the other semi final.
The semi finals were on 13th December, and the Lady Cranes had to dig deep to get themselves into the final. The Blue Bulls scored twice before the Lady Cranes clawed their way back into the game courtesy of 2 tries from Rachel Kakaire and 1 try from Helen Buteme. The final score was 15 - 10 to the Ugandans: the South Africans beat Eastern Province to meet Uganda in their 4th finals date since 2006.
On their home ground the South Africans hammered the Ugandans into submission, easily running out the winners with an emphatic 36 - 00 drubbing.
The top try scorer of the tournament was South African Phumeza Gadu while the MVP accolade went to her captain Saloma Booysen.
ugrugbychiclet
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Lady Cranes set for Mandela 7's
The Lady Cranes 7’s team departs for South Africa on Thursday to take part in the Nelson Mandela Bay 7’s. Coaches David Mutaka and Robert Sseguya plan to use this tournament to try out new combinations. The team will, however, do without the services of Josephine Namayega who has been ruled out for one month due to an ankle injury and Charlotte Mudoola who has examinations. Asha Ssonko and Rachel Kakaire come back into the squad to replace Namayega and Mudoola respectively while Justine Bayiga takes the place of Mary Kyoita on the wing.
Final Squad:
Forwards: Christine Kizito (captain), Asha Ssonko (Thunderbirds), Aliya Adania (Rangers), Fortunate Irankunda, Brenda Kayiyi (Black Panthers).Backs: Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi, Winnie Atyang, Harriet Kayonjo, Rachel Kakaire (Thunderbirds), Prossy Nakakande, Helen Buteme (Black Panthers), Justine Bayiga.
ugrugbychiclet
Final Squad:
Forwards: Christine Kizito (captain), Asha Ssonko (Thunderbirds), Aliya Adania (Rangers), Fortunate Irankunda, Brenda Kayiyi (Black Panthers).Backs: Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi, Winnie Atyang, Harriet Kayonjo, Rachel Kakaire (Thunderbirds), Prossy Nakakande, Helen Buteme (Black Panthers), Justine Bayiga.
ugrugbychiclet
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Lady Cranes confirmed to travel to South Africa
Lady Cranes 7's team, sponsored by ICEMARK, flies out to Port Elizabeth, South Africa next week to take part in the Nelson Mandela Bay 7's tournament. David Mutaka and Robert Sseguya are yet to select the final 12 woman squad from the larger squad of 19.
Forwards: Christine Kizito, Asha Ssonko, Josephine Namayega, Aliya Adania, Fortunate Irankunda, Brenda Kayiyi, Dorothy Nekesa, Claire Anena.
Backs: Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi, Prossy Nakakande, Winnie Atyang, Rachel Kakaire, Helen Buteme, Harriet Kayonjo, Agnes Nantongo, Sauda Adiru, Justine Bayiga, Mary Kyoita, Charlotte Mudoola.
The jury is still out on Uganda's 200 and 400 metre sprint queen, Justine Bayiga. Will her 2 month training stint be enough for her to storm her way onto the team? Watch this space.
ugrugbychiclet
Forwards: Christine Kizito, Asha Ssonko, Josephine Namayega, Aliya Adania, Fortunate Irankunda, Brenda Kayiyi, Dorothy Nekesa, Claire Anena.
Backs: Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi, Prossy Nakakande, Winnie Atyang, Rachel Kakaire, Helen Buteme, Harriet Kayonjo, Agnes Nantongo, Sauda Adiru, Justine Bayiga, Mary Kyoita, Charlotte Mudoola.
The jury is still out on Uganda's 200 and 400 metre sprint queen, Justine Bayiga. Will her 2 month training stint be enough for her to storm her way onto the team? Watch this space.
ugrugbychiclet
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Lady Cranes for Dubai/South Africa
David Mutaka and Robert Sseguya will soon be trimming their 19 woman squad to 12 as they prepare for the Dubai 7's in Dubai later this month and the Nelson Mandela Bay 7's in South Africa next month. Although neither of the trips have been confirmed the women rugby players are confident and all set to go.
The first set of trials were held on Saturday and the progress of 400 metre national sprint champion Justine Bayiga was keenly noted. Bayiga, who represented Uganda in the 400 metres at the 2008 Beijing summer Olympics, has recently traded her runners spikes for rugby boots and has been undergoing drills with the 7's squad for the past one month. Bayiga was called up to the team in a bid to inject some pace into the Lady Cranes' attack and if she can master the basics of the game she will be a lethal addition to the team.
ugrugbychiclet
The first set of trials were held on Saturday and the progress of 400 metre national sprint champion Justine Bayiga was keenly noted. Bayiga, who represented Uganda in the 400 metres at the 2008 Beijing summer Olympics, has recently traded her runners spikes for rugby boots and has been undergoing drills with the 7's squad for the past one month. Bayiga was called up to the team in a bid to inject some pace into the Lady Cranes' attack and if she can master the basics of the game she will be a lethal addition to the team.
ugrugbychiclet
Monday, November 3, 2008
Final teams for the 2009 women's 7's RWC
16 teams qualified for the world cup from 6 regions.
CONSUR (South America)
Brazil
FIRA-AER (Europe)
England
Netherlands
France
Russia
Spain
Italy
(CAR) AFRICA
South Africa
Uganda
(FORU) OCEANIA
Australia
New Zealand
ARFU (ASIA)
Japan
Thailand
China
NAWIRA (North America)
Canada
USA
There will be 4 pools of 4 teams and IRB has seeded 8 teams according to their relative strengths and how they performed in their regional qualifiers. The rest of the teams will be drawn randomly into the 4 pools.
seed 1 - England
seed 2 - Australia
seed 3 - Canada
seed 4 - New Zealand
seed 5 - Japan
seed 6 - Netherlands
seed 7 - South Africa
seed 8 - Brazil
CONSUR (South America)
Brazil
FIRA-AER (Europe)
England
Netherlands
France
Russia
Spain
Italy
(CAR) AFRICA
South Africa
Uganda
(FORU) OCEANIA
Australia
New Zealand
ARFU (ASIA)
Japan
Thailand
China
NAWIRA (North America)
Canada
USA
There will be 4 pools of 4 teams and IRB has seeded 8 teams according to their relative strengths and how they performed in their regional qualifiers. The rest of the teams will be drawn randomly into the 4 pools.
seed 1 - England
seed 2 - Australia
seed 3 - Canada
seed 4 - New Zealand
seed 5 - Japan
seed 6 - Netherlands
seed 7 - South Africa
seed 8 - Brazil
Lady Cranes squad for the World Cup
The URU/UWRA have recalled all the 12 players that recently qualified for the IRB women's 7's rugby world cup due in Dubai, March 5th to 7th 2009.
Christine Kizito, Josephine Namayega, Winnie Atyang, Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi, Harriet Kayonjo(Thunderbirds), Fortunate Irankunda, Brenda Kayiyi, Prossy Nakakande, Helen Buteme (Black Panthers), Aliya Adania, Charlotte Mudoola and Mary Kyoita (Rangers) made history when they reached the main cup final of the African qualifier tournament thus booking a place at the inaugural IRB women's 7's rugby world cup and a place in Ugandan history. No other sport - men or women's - has succesfully qualified for a World Cup.
Asha Ssonko, Dorothy Nekesa, Rachel Kakaire, Agnes Nantongo, Sauda Adiru (Thunderbirds), Claire Anena (Black Panthers) and Ugandan national 400m champion Justine Bayiga have earned call ups to David Mutaka and Robert Sseguya's training squad.
The women have already resumed training and are hoping to travel to South Africa and Dubai later this year and San Diego, USA early next year for build up tournaments as part of their world cup preparations.
ugrugbychiclet
Christine Kizito, Josephine Namayega, Winnie Atyang, Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi, Harriet Kayonjo(Thunderbirds), Fortunate Irankunda, Brenda Kayiyi, Prossy Nakakande, Helen Buteme (Black Panthers), Aliya Adania, Charlotte Mudoola and Mary Kyoita (Rangers) made history when they reached the main cup final of the African qualifier tournament thus booking a place at the inaugural IRB women's 7's rugby world cup and a place in Ugandan history. No other sport - men or women's - has succesfully qualified for a World Cup.
Asha Ssonko, Dorothy Nekesa, Rachel Kakaire, Agnes Nantongo, Sauda Adiru (Thunderbirds), Claire Anena (Black Panthers) and Ugandan national 400m champion Justine Bayiga have earned call ups to David Mutaka and Robert Sseguya's training squad.
The women have already resumed training and are hoping to travel to South Africa and Dubai later this year and San Diego, USA early next year for build up tournaments as part of their world cup preparations.
ugrugbychiclet
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