Women's 7's Cup in South Africa

South Africa Rugby Union (SARU) has invited the Lady Cranes to participate in the inaugural Africa Women’s Cup 7’s Tournament being held in East London from the 7th to 9th August 2008. 16 teams tournament from all around the world have been invited: South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Tunisia, Morroco, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, England, Wales, France, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Samoa. The organizers see this high profile rugby tournament as an opportunity for teams to prepare for the IRB7’s World Cup in 2009. The final day of the tournament (9th August) also coincides with the South African National Women’s Day.

After opting out of the Tunisia Easter tournament due to lack of funds, the Lady Cranes will be glad to have a chance to get some games under their belts before the African World Cup qualifiers that are slated for September.

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Rugby World Cup Sevens qualifiers announced

According to an article on the IRB.COM website, Rugby World Cup Limited has confirmed the locations and the dates for the remaining Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 Qualifying Tournaments. Brazil was the first team to qualify for the women’s World Cup after winning the South America qualifier that was held in Uruguay in January this year. 15 more teams are left to qualify for the inaugural women’s competition. In addition to Brazil, two qualifiers will come from Africa, two from North America, three from Asia, six from Europe and two from Oceania.
• Europe - Limoges, France, June 14/15
• Oceania – Samoa, July 25/26
• Africa - Uganda, September 20/21
• Asia - Hong Kong, October 4/5
• North America and Caribbean - Bahamas, October 25/26

Meanwhile 10 teams have been invited to compete in the African qualifier:

South Africa
Uganda
Tunisia
Kenya
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Madagascar
Cote d’Ivoire
Botswana
Nigeria

Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi will not participate in the qualifiers as they are not IRB members.

In other news, Uganda pulled out of the CAR North tournament that is being held this Easter weekend in Tunisia due to financial constraints. This was a blow to the team as it was probably its only chance to play decent opposition before the World Cup qualifiers.

Women's qualifiers challenge

The 2 African slots will be fiercely competed for by the top 5 nations in the 7's world cup qualifiers to be held this year. Reigning champs South Africa will have to fight off a stiff challenge from Uganda (2), Kenya (3), Tunisia (4) and Zambia (5). Other teams that will take part in the qualifiers are Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria.

Earlier this month, South Africa travelled to San Diego for build up games against the American and Canadian national teams as well as select USA and Canadian sides. Kenya and Uganda have been invited for the Tunis 7's to be held on March 21 and 22. The KRFU director in-charge of national squads revealed that it was an important invitation as the women needed quality tournaments to help in their prepartations for the Rugby World Cup qualifiers. The Ugandans also intend to use the Tunis 7's as a build up for the qualifiers.

The Lady Cranes under David Mutaka are *Alia Adania (Rangers), Joan Andika (Rangers), Helen Buteme (Black Panthers), *Fortunate Irankunda (Black Panthers), Rachel Kakaire (Thunderbirds), *Brenda Kayi (Black Panthers), Harriet Kayonjo (Thunderbirds), Christine Kizito (Thunderbirds), Stella Kyalikunda (Thunderbirds), *Loy Mbabazi (Black Panthers), Charlotte Mudoola (Rangers), *Prossy Nakakande (Black Panthers), *Josephine Namayega (Thunderbirds), Hadijah Namuyanja(Rangers), *Dorothy Nekesa (Thunderbirds), Asha Ssonko (Thunderbirds), and Ann Tumwine (Thunderbirds).

*denotes an uncapped player (uncapped for 7's).

2008 season so far

After a long break following the end of the Ugandan women’s 2007 rugby season, ugrugbychiclet is back. Not much to report but here goes:

According to the fixtures released by URU the annual Kampala Womens CAR 7’s tournament will be on June 21st and 22nd and two 15 aside games against Kenya on May 24th (home) and August 9th (away) as curtain raisers for the men’s Elgon Cup internationals. These games (for both the women and the men) may be in doubt though following the current political situation in Kenya at present. Kenya has been ravaged by violence since the last week of December 2007 after controversial presidential elections.

Meanwhile, URU has appointed David Mutaka to take over as the Lady Cranes 7 aside coach from Herbert Wafula who resigned last year. David Mutaka represented Uganda in both the 7 aside and 15 aside codes before retiring in 2006. Mutaka has a giant task ahead of him to ensure that the Lady Cranes qualify for the 7’s World Cup. If successful, Lady Cranes will be the ever first Ugandan team (across all sports- both female and male) to qualify for a World Cup.

In related news from around the globe, Brazil beat Argentina 45 – 00 in the final of the CONSUR (South American) qualifier to become the first country to qualify for 2009’s Women’s World Cup 7’s. The FIRA-AER (European) qualifier will be held in Limoges on June 14th and 15th – 6 teams will qualify from this event. The NAWIRA (North American and Caribbean) qualifier will be in the Bahamas on October 25th and 26th (2 teams will qualify) while the hosting countries and the dates of the ARFU (Asian – 3 teams will qualify), CAR (African – 2 teams will qualify) and FORU (Oceania – 2 teams will qualify) qualifiers and are yet to be announced.


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Inadequate funding frustrates women's rugby in Africa

The development of women's rugby in Africa is hampered by the lack of support from their rugby unions or their governments. Uganda fares slightly better than her neighbours (Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi) in that the chairperson of the Uganda Women's Rugby Association sits on the Uganda Rugby Union executive committee and can influence decisions (financial and otherwise) that affect women's rugby. The Ugandan government is disinterested in sports and slashes the sports budget every year (most of the budget goes to football anyway). Both the URU and UWRA therefore have an uphill task to develop and sustain men and women's rugby on a shoestring budget (most of it catered for by IRB development funds and sponsorship from corporate bodies). At the end of the day, men's rugby takes first priority and a huge chunk of the limited resources.

In Kenya, the Kenya Rugby Football Union only financed the women's 7's teams for the Confederation of African Rugby (CAR) 7's tournaments in 2006 and 2007 after pressure from CAR. The Kenya women's rugby body formed this year is not recognised by KRFU. Rwanda and Burundi lack technical expertise (coaches and managers) although their rugby unions are keen to develop women's rugby and provide financial assistance to the women when they can.

This situation is not unique to East Africa. Recently, South African women rugby players complained that they receive virtually no support from the South African Rugby Union and have to rely on the government for financial aid. SARU and the South African Rugby Players' Association do not give women the same support as men as women rugby players have no professional contraacts therefore play rugby only for 'fun'.

It is against this background that the first international 15 aside game between Uganda (Lady Cranes) and South Africa (Lady Springboks) that was being organised to take place between late October and early December 2007 in either South Afirca or Uganda is unlikely to kick off as neither team can afford to travel. With the IRB 7's African World Cup Qualifiers next year, and only 2 African teams going through to the 2009 IRB 7's World Cup, Lady Cranes and Lady Springboks have to choose between the exciting prospect of a 15 aside game or saving the little they have for preparations for their respective 7 aside squads.

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Sam Ahamya new Lady Cranes 15 aside coach

The URU has appointed Sam Ahamya to take over from James Park as the Lady Cranes 15 aside coach. Ahamya brings a wealth of experience to the women's team having coached Uganda's U19 and U21 men's teams as well as 2007 Uganda Cup club champions G4S Pirates.

Frustrated by the Kenya Rugby Football Union's lack of interest in Kenya - Uganda women's 15 aside internationals, URU will attempt to go south and has South Africa and Zambia in its sights. South African David Dobela (Uganda's technical director) is currently organising a 15 aside friendly against his former charges - the Lady Springboks. The date of the match is yet to be confirmed but will most likely be held in October. Lady Cranes started training preparations on 29th August and had the first set of trials on 1st September.

36 players from Black Panthers, Rangers and Thunderbirds have been called up:

PROPS
Evelyn Aweku (Thunderbirds)
Lillian Ikulumet (Thunderbirds)
Fortunate Irankunda (Black Panthers)
Christine Kizito (Thunderbirds)
Alice Nakyonyi (Thunderbirds)
Susan Nambozo (Black Panthers)
Warry Nambirige (Rangers)

HOOKERS
Alia Adania (Rangers)
Mariam Akello (Thunderbirds)
Stella Kyalikunda (Thunderbirds)

Asher Namubiru (Black Panthers)

LOCKS
Stella Abeja (Thunderbirds)
Claire Anena (Black Panthers)
Winnie Atyang (Thunderbirds)

Josephine Namayega (Thunderbirds)
Ann Tumwine (Thunderbirds)

BACK ROW
Stella Bakole (Thunderbirds)

Loy Mbabazi (Black Panthers)

Mary Nakanyike (Thunderbirds)
Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi (Thunderbirds)
Brenda Kayiyi (Black Panthers)
Brenda Kyomugisha (Thunderbirds)

SCRUM HALVES
Joan Andika (Rangers)
Charlotte Mudoola (Rangers)
Prossy Nakakande (Black Panthers)
Hope Nambatya (Rangers)

FLY HALVES
Sauda Adiru (Thunderbirds)
Helen Buteme (Black Panthers)

CENTRES
Harriet Kayonjo (Thunderbirds)
Hadija Namuyanja (Rangers)
Joan Namuyomba (Thunderbirds)

WINGERS
Rachel Kakaire (Thunderbirds)
Agnes Nantongo (Thunderbirds)

Dorothy Nekesa (Thunderbirds)
Patience Onziema (Rangers)
Asha Ssonko (Thunderbirds)

Susan Nambozo, Alia Adania, Mariam Akello, Asher Namubiru, Claire Anena, Josephine Namayega, Loy Mbabazi, Brenda Kayiyi, Brenda Kyomugisha and Agnes Nantongo are looking for their first 15's caps.

KRFU call off women's international

The KRFU has called off the Kenya versus Uganda women's game that was scheduled to take place on 11th August prior to the men's Elgon Cup decider claiming lack of funds. This comes as a huge disappointment to both teams as they were looking forward to renewing their rivalry on the pitch.

The Kenyan women had held their trial games on 28th July at the KCB grounds in Nairobi, while the Ugandans had held their trails on the same date at the Kampala Rugby Football Club.

This is the second time KRFU has put a spanner in the works, the first time being in May when they declined to send a women's 15 aside team to Uganda claiming all their key players were tied up with preparations for the CAR 7's.