Rugby Cranes achieved Gold Cup targets - Wokorach

The penultimate Gold Cup match between Uganda and Zimbabwe brings with it feelings of accomplishment for the Rugby Cranes who have secured a place in next year's competition.

In a press conference at Legends Kampala Rugby Club, Uganda's vice-captain Michael Wokorach reiterated those sentiments.

"It has been a good campaign we have set achievable goals and we still are within what we set ourselves to do which was stay in Tier 1A," he said.

Staying in Tier 1A ensures the Rugby Cranes a position in the qualifiers for the 2019 Rugby World Cup but finishing on a high against Zimbabwe is most important at the moment.

They have enjoyed a relatively successful Gold Cup campaign registering a draw against nemeses Kenya and victories against Senegal and Tunisia.

All these are a reflection of progress the team has made in the last couple of months under the stewardship of South African coach John Duncan.

Wokorach admitted that his favourite result of the entire campaign was the one in Kenya as opposed to the 78-17 against Tunisia in Kampala a little more than a week ago.

"Most people go by the Tunisia result because of the big score but for me the draw we got against Kenya in Nairobi told me we are ready to compete with the big teams on the big stage," Wokorach explained.

"Giving them a run for their money at home shows us that we are gelling well as a team and we are sure that next year when we play Kenya again it will be a different story," he remarked.

First order of business for Uganda this Saturday is to finish third and there after all the focus can shift to next year's Gold Cup/Rugby World Cup Qualifiers, since John Duncan is still coach for the foreseeable future.

Third place is a foregone conclusion unless Zimbabwe can obliterate Uganda at home, a task which boarders a mission impossible on paper.