Kenyan women get first win against Ugandans

The Ugandan and Kenyan women faced each other for the return leg of the Elgon Cup in sunny conditions at the RFUEA grounds on Ngong Road in Nairobi. The Kenyans kicked off to the Ugandans and followed the kick through to put pressure on the Lady Cranes. The pressure paid off as the Kenyans were eventually rewarded with a penalty after a high tackle by Helen Buteme. They opted to go for posts and Angela Olum kicked in 3 points to take an early lead in the 15th minute. Buoyed on by their early lead the Kenyan women kept their counterparts pinned in their 22 and in the 30th minute a mis – kick by Asha Ssonko into the opponents hands resulted in the ball going out wide to Kenyan winger, Irene Namayi who touched down to take the score up to 08 – 00. Surprisingly, Angela Olum missed the conversion and the opportunity to take their points up to 10.

The Ugandan pack was impressive and turned over ball in the scrums and dominated the lineouts through Stella Bakole and Ann Tumwine. Stella won all her lineouts and went one better by stealing a couple of the opposition line outs as well. The lanky number 8 topped off her sterling aerial performance with an inspired game at the base of the scrum and combined well with the scrumhalf Charlotte Mudoola who put in an excellent performance throughout the game. However, the Ugandan back line was flat and static meaning the fly half, Helen, had no platform from which to operate and was forced to kick away vital possession that the forwards had worked had to retain. The Kenyan backline on the other hand was well coordinated with fly half Doreen Remour working in tandem with her centres both in defence and attack. Just before half time, the Ugandans were awarded a penalty in front of the posts for an infringement in the ruck but Rachel Kakaire fluffed the easy kick meaning the Ugandans went into the halftime break trailing 08 – 00.

The second half saw the Ugandans piling pressure on the Kenyans through the forwards and they were rewarded with a penalty on the 5 minutes into the half. A quickly taken penalty saw Joan Andika scoring for Uganda. Rachel converted to bring the Ugandans one point behind the Kenyans. Kicks deep into Kenyan territory by Helen kept the Kenyans on the back foot and great retention of possession by the Ugandan forwards resulted in the Ugandans being awarded 2 penalties in front of the posts in the 65th and 75th minutes that Rachel slotted in to take the Ugandans ahead by 5 points. The match seesawed either way with neither team taking advantage of possession. In the last minute when the game was all but won for the Ugandans, the Kenyans turned over the ball after a pick and drive move off the scrum by the Ugandans and swung the ball out to the Irene Namayi on the wing who scored to level the game at 13 - 13. Angela Olum made no mistake this time and nailed the conversion to give the Kenyans their first win.

Irene Awino, standing in for the injured Anita Omondi at fullback for Kenya had an impressive game and was easily the player of the match.

The Ugandans however won the Elgon cup for 2008 as they had a higher aggregate, 31 – 22 (18 – 07 first leg, 13 – 15 second leg).

Attention now turns to the 7’s world cup qualifiers next month.

Uganda:
1 Fortunate Irankunda (Josephine Namayega)
2 Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi
3 Warry Nambirige
4 Christine Kizito (captain)
5 Anne Tumwine
6 Brenda Kayiyi (Winnie Atyang)
7 Dorothy Nekesa (Stella Kyalikunda)
8 Stella Bakole
9 Charlotte Mudoola
10 Helen Buteme
11 Sauda Adiru
12 Joan Namuyomba
13 Asha Ssonko (vice captain) (Harriet Kayonjo)
14 Joan Andika (Prossy Nakakande)
15 Rachel Kakaire
Replacements:
16 Stella Kyalikunda
17 Josephine Namayega
18 Winnie Atyang
19 Aliya Adania
20 Prossy Nakakande
21 Harriet Kayonjo
Officials: Sam Ahamya (coach)
Jackie Kigozi (tean manager)
Connie Olwit (team doctor)

Tries: Joan Andika (1)
Conversions: Rachel Kakaire (1)
Penalties: Rachel Kakaire (2)

Kenya:
1 Camylyn Awuor
2 Stacy Awuor
3 Agnes King’ori (Emily Achieng)
4 Millicent Opala
5 Rachael Adhiambo
6 Angela Olum
7 Adelaide Nasambu
8 Mary Otieno (Philadelphia Olando)
9 Mary Musieka
10 Doreen Remour
11 Rebecca Kerubo
12 Nereah Awino
13 Celestine Navalayo (captain)
14 Irene Namayi
15 Irene Awino
Replacements:
16 Rubina Wambui
17 Janet Midecha
18 Abadeen Shikhoyi
19 Kezia Adhiambo
20 Emily Achieng
21 Philadelphia Olando
22 Judy Ageng’o.
Officials: Sammy Kemmey (coach)
Josephine Were (team manager)
Gerald Omondi (physiotherapist)

Tries: Irene Namayi (2)
Conversions: Angela Olum (1)
Penalties: Angela Olum (1)
Yellow cards: Millicent Opalla



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Ugandan and Kenyan squads for Elgon Cup return leg

Lady Cranes travel to Nairobi today for the return leg of the Elgon Cup that will be on August 16, 2008 at the Rugby Football Union of East Africa ground. Lady Cranes won the first encounter 18 -07 in May and have an 11 point difference. Ugandan coach Sam Ahamya has made just 2 changes to his squad: Harriet Kayonjo gets back into the squad to replace Hadija Namuyanja while Alice Nankyonyi makes room for Aliya Adania to earn her first cap.

The Lady Cranes’ squad

Forwards
Warry Nambirige (Rangers)
*Aliya Adania (Rangers)
Brenda Kayiyi (Black Panthers)
Fortunate Irankunda (Black Panthers)
Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi (Thunderbirds)
Ann Tumwine (Thunderbirds)
Christine Kizito – captain (Thunderbirds)
Dorothy Nekesa (Thunderbirds)
Stella Bakole (Thunderbirds)
Stella Kyalikunda (Thunderbirds)
Evelyn Aweku (Thunderbirds)
Josephine Namayega (Thunderbirds)
Winnie Atiang (Thunderbirds)

Backs
Prossy Nakakande (Black Panthers)
Helen Buteme (Black Panthers)
Charlotte Mudoola (Rangers)
Joan Andika (Rangers)
Asha Ssonko – vice captain (Thunderbirds)
Sauda Adiru (Thunderbirds)
Rachel Kakaire (Thunderbirds)
Joan Namuyomba (Thunderbirds)
Harriet Kayonjo (Thunderbirds)

Head Coach: Sam Ahamya
Assistant Coach: Ramsey Olinga
Team Manager: Jackie Kigozi
Team Doctor: Connie Olwit

Kenyan coach Sammy Kemmey has also made a few changes to his side as he loses the services of Anita Omondi through injury but Rebecca Kerubo gets the nod and will earn her first cap for Kenya. This time round Kemmey has paid special attention to the lineouts, a department in which Uganda dominated and has instructed his kickers to go for territory to relieve pressure as much as possible.

The Kenyan squad

Forwards
Emily Achieng (Mwamba Invaders)
Camilyne Awuor (Mwamba Invaders)
Mary Atieno (Mwamba Invaders)
Angela Olum (Mwamba Invaders)
Millicent Opalla (Mwamba Invaders)
Aberdeen Shikhoyi (Mwamba Invaders)
Philadelphia Olando (Mwamba Invaders)
Agnes Wambui (Mwamba Invaders)
Yvonne Makwali (Mwamba Invaders)
Adelaide Nasambu (Rovers)
Stacy Awuor (Vivi Girls)
Janet Midecha (Vivi Girls)

Backs
Mary Musieka (Mwamba Invaders)
Doreen Remour (Mwamba Invaders)
Nereah Awino (Mwamba Invaders)
Celestine Navalayo (captain) (Mwamba Invaders)
*Rebecca Kerubo (Mwamba Invaders)
Irene Namayi (Rovers)
Judy Agengo (Rovers)
Rachael Adhiambo (Rovers)
Robina Wambui (Vivi Girls)
Kezia Awuor (Vivi Girls)

Coach: Sammy Kemmey
Team manager: Mike Mwanja
Team Physiotherapist: Gerald Omondi

* denotes first cap


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Elgon Cup return leg

The Lady Cranes 15 aside team is this week finalising its preparations for the return leg of the Elgon Cup scheduled for 16th August in Nairobi, Kenya. Lady Cranes won the Kampala fixture 18 - 07 and will be looking to win away from home although they will have to counter the vocal Kenyan fans. Lady Cranes narrowly beat the Kenyans 03 -00 in 2006 in Nairobi.

I have not yet got information on the final 15's squad but will post it as soon as I get it.


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Black Panthers top 7's series, South Africa cancel 7's tournament

Black Panthers topped the UWRA women's 7's series after winning the last tournament on July 19th. They were crowned the women's 7's champions with Thunderbirds settling for second place. Rangers finished the 3 team series in third position.

Meanwhile, it is bad news again for David Mutaka and the Lady Cranes 7's team as South Africa has cancelled the international 7's tournament that was scheduled to take place from 7th to 9th August. England, Australia and USA were among the teams that had confirmed their participation and Uganda was hoping to use the tournament to gauge themselves.

In other news, Sam Ahamya is taking the 15 aside team through their drills in preparation for the return leg of the Elgon Cup that will be held in Nairobi on August 16th. South African, Eugenia Daniels, will be the centre referee.


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UWRA 7's series

As the UWRA 7's series draws to a close, Black Panthers are the surprise leaders after winning the last 2 tournaments. Thunderbirds are closely behind and Rangers is a distant third.

The UWRA 7's tournaments have been a revelation with previously unknown players such as Brenda Kayiyi (Black Panthers), Prossy Nakakande (Black Panthers), Mary Kyoita (Rangers), Aliya Adania (Rangers) and 15 year old sensation Regina Athieno (Black Panthers) making their mark on the women's game.


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South Africa 7's and Elgon Cup

Although the names have not yet been officially released, a squad of 20 players are undergoing fitness drills under Doctor Arthur Kwizera. David Mutaka is preparing his squad for the international 7's tournament that will be held in South Africa next month. England, USA and Australia are some of the top teams from outside of Africa that the Ugandan ladies will face. The tournament will be an important build up for the Lady Cranes before the World Cup qualifiers where they shall battle it out with South Africa, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Tunisia, Zambia and Zimbabwe for one of the two slots alloted to Africa.

The 15 aside national team is also training under Sam Ahamya and Ramsey Olinga for the return leg of the Elgon Cup that will held on 16th August in Nairobi. Ahamya is working on strengthening his squad at the breakdowns as the Kenyans were a notch superior in that aspect of the game.

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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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