RUGBY CRANES PUSH FOR SLOT
Aug 03, 2008
Despite the not so sterling performance against a revitalised Madagascan side, the Uganda Rugby Cranes are just two games away from a place in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Pool A
Namibia
Zimbabwe
Senegal
Pool B
Morocco
Ivory Coast
Zambia
Pool C
Tunisia
Kenya
Cameroon
Pool D
Uganda
Madagascar
Botswana
Saturday results
Uganda 32 Madagascar 22
Tunisia 45 Kenya 15
By Kalungi Kabuye
Despite the not so sterling performance against a revitalised Madagascan side, the Uganda Rugby Cranes are just two games away from a place in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Last Saturday’s win meant that Uganda will play in the semi-finals next year, with a chance to proceed to the final and henceforth to a dream place in the World Cup.
“It’s a bit too soon to talk about a place in the World Cup, we have a long way to go even if it looks easy when you say two games,†rugby officials said. “Those two games can mean a lifetime, and we are still not quite sure who we will be playing.â€
The Cranes topped Group D with victories over Botswana and Madagascar. Group A leaders Namibia were due to play Zimbabwe in Windhoek and Morocco hosted Cote d’Ivoire in Casablanca.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s World Cup dreams ended after Tunisia beat them 45-15 in Tunis. Kenya, who had beaten Cameroon 76-8 in Nairobi, had gone to Tunis full of confidence and boasted that their two South Africa coaches had made them a better team than either Tunisia or Uganda.
Media sources in Namibia talked of a semi-final against the winners of Group B, which means that Uganda could possibly play the winners of Group C, who are Tunisia. Uganda has never played Tunisia, but has beaten Namibia in Kampala, and narrowly lost to Morocco in the 2007 World Cup qualifiers.
Of the four possible semi-finalists, Uganda, Tunisia, Morocco and Namibia, only Namibia has ever played in the World Cup, and has done so three consecutive times, although they failed to win a single game in the 2007 World Cup.
Namibia
Zimbabwe
Senegal
Pool B
Morocco
Ivory Coast
Zambia
Pool C
Tunisia
Kenya
Cameroon
Pool D
Uganda
Madagascar
Botswana
Saturday results
Uganda 32 Madagascar 22
Tunisia 45 Kenya 15
By Kalungi Kabuye
Despite the not so sterling performance against a revitalised Madagascan side, the Uganda Rugby Cranes are just two games away from a place in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Last Saturday’s win meant that Uganda will play in the semi-finals next year, with a chance to proceed to the final and henceforth to a dream place in the World Cup.
“It’s a bit too soon to talk about a place in the World Cup, we have a long way to go even if it looks easy when you say two games,†rugby officials said. “Those two games can mean a lifetime, and we are still not quite sure who we will be playing.â€
The Cranes topped Group D with victories over Botswana and Madagascar. Group A leaders Namibia were due to play Zimbabwe in Windhoek and Morocco hosted Cote d’Ivoire in Casablanca.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s World Cup dreams ended after Tunisia beat them 45-15 in Tunis. Kenya, who had beaten Cameroon 76-8 in Nairobi, had gone to Tunis full of confidence and boasted that their two South Africa coaches had made them a better team than either Tunisia or Uganda.
Media sources in Namibia talked of a semi-final against the winners of Group B, which means that Uganda could possibly play the winners of Group C, who are Tunisia. Uganda has never played Tunisia, but has beaten Namibia in Kampala, and narrowly lost to Morocco in the 2007 World Cup qualifiers.
Of the four possible semi-finalists, Uganda, Tunisia, Morocco and Namibia, only Namibia has ever played in the World Cup, and has done so three consecutive times, although they failed to win a single game in the 2007 World Cup.