Rugby Cranes start Elgon Cup preps

By Johnson Were

RUGBY Cranes tactician Peter Magona is not taking any chances and has intensified training with the available players despite many being involved in the Bamburi Rugby Super series with Rwenzori who faced Kenyan side Ndovu in the final on Saturday June 1 in Nairobi. 

Peter Magona who has only two weeks to put together a strong national team for the first leg of the Elgon Cup on June 15 away in Nairobi, started training with players that were not involved this weekend through lineouts and fitness drills. 

Magona is well aware of Kenya’s focus on not only reclaiming the Elgon Cup from Uganda but also the Africa Cup that will be hosted in Madagascar this same year.

The Kenyans have fallen twice to Uganda at the semi-final stages of continental showpiece; in 2007 when Uganda lifted it and last year in Tunisia.

With that background, the Kenyans are heading to South Africa for a number of friendlies as well as body conditioning after they secured the services of former Springboks tactician Peter De Villiers.

Magona who captained Uganda to Elgon Cup victory in 2005 and also as a coach last year, is one of Uganda’s most respected rugby idols together with his coaching staff of Herbert Wafula and Fred Mudoola.

Meanwhile the Rugby Union has engaged both the Legends Kampala Rugby Club and Makerere Graveyard playgrounds management to be able to accommodate some of the national training sessions.

Currently three teams including Rugby Cranes, the Lady Rugby Cranes and U-19 teams have been using only Kyadondo Rugby Club facilities.

“We are in talks with Legends and Makerere to see that every team has its own playground starting next week,” URU chairman Andrew Owor stated.