Rugby Cranes face uphill task in Tunis
Jun 14, 2009
UGANDA Rugby Cranes crashed to their worst home defeat but South African tactician Chester Williams still believes his troops can snatch an away win in the return leg if they grasp the game plan. The return leg is scheduled for Tunis in two weeks time.
By Douglas Mazune
UGANDA Rugby Cranes crashed to their worst home defeat but South African tactician Chester Williams still believes his troops can snatch an away win in the return leg if they grasp the game plan. The return leg is scheduled for Tunis in two weeks time.
Chester, who was disappointed that the team deviation from the game plan, said that the Ugandans can beat Tunisia in the return leg but warned that it would be very difficult to close the 24-point deficit.
Uganda lost to 41-17 in a World Cup semi-final qualifier at Kampala Club on Saturday.
Without half the team that lifted the Confederation of Africa Rugby (CAR) in Madagascar in 2007, the Cranes made elementary mistakes that were punished by the visitors.
“We had to use the players that are available but unfortunately they did not stick to the game plan,†Chester said.
“We made a lot of mistakes but our opponents also did a lot of good things.
“It is very difficult to qualify for the final but Tunisia can be beaten in Tunis if players follow my instructions.
There is no doubt team had a sizeable number of promising youngsters who could bring glory to Uganda in future but stage fright was their undoing.
Even experienced players in the team appeared nervous, committing glaring errors.
The squad training for was named in November last year but due to financial constraints, the players only regrouped last month, long after their opponents had completed their scheduled four international build up matches.
South African coach David Dobela had a six-month training plan that was supposed to kick off in January but when he left for Christmas holiday.
This was after the South Africa Rugby Union (SARU) that paid his salary cut off aid citing the current global financial crisis.
And when the squad finally assembled, dependable uganda telecom Kobs players Allan Musoke, Ken Mutabaruka, Stone Luggya, Edmund Tumusiime and Timothy Mudoola announced their retirement.
UGANDA Rugby Cranes crashed to their worst home defeat but South African tactician Chester Williams still believes his troops can snatch an away win in the return leg if they grasp the game plan. The return leg is scheduled for Tunis in two weeks time.
Chester, who was disappointed that the team deviation from the game plan, said that the Ugandans can beat Tunisia in the return leg but warned that it would be very difficult to close the 24-point deficit.
Uganda lost to 41-17 in a World Cup semi-final qualifier at Kampala Club on Saturday.
Without half the team that lifted the Confederation of Africa Rugby (CAR) in Madagascar in 2007, the Cranes made elementary mistakes that were punished by the visitors.
“We had to use the players that are available but unfortunately they did not stick to the game plan,†Chester said.
“We made a lot of mistakes but our opponents also did a lot of good things.
“It is very difficult to qualify for the final but Tunisia can be beaten in Tunis if players follow my instructions.
There is no doubt team had a sizeable number of promising youngsters who could bring glory to Uganda in future but stage fright was their undoing.
Even experienced players in the team appeared nervous, committing glaring errors.
The squad training for was named in November last year but due to financial constraints, the players only regrouped last month, long after their opponents had completed their scheduled four international build up matches.
South African coach David Dobela had a six-month training plan that was supposed to kick off in January but when he left for Christmas holiday.
This was after the South Africa Rugby Union (SARU) that paid his salary cut off aid citing the current global financial crisis.
And when the squad finally assembled, dependable uganda telecom Kobs players Allan Musoke, Ken Mutabaruka, Stone Luggya, Edmund Tumusiime and Timothy Mudoola announced their retirement.