Lady Rugby Cranes one win away from 2025 Africa Women's Cup qualification

Africa Rugby Women’s Division I Championship

Results

Uganda 52 Cote d'Ivoire 0

Zimbabwe 24 Tunisia 27

Saturday

Tunisia v Cote d’Ivoire 1pm

Zimbabwe v Uganda 3pm

Uganda's Lady Rugby Cranes 15s stand on the brink of history as they prepare to face Zimbabwe in their crucial final qualifier at Stade Auguste Denise in San Pedro, Côte d'Ivoire, this Saturday.

A victory would secure their place in the 2025 Rugby Africa Women's Cup alongside continental powerhouses South Africa, Kenya, and Madagascar.

Head coach Charles Onen expressed cautious optimism ahead of the decisive match: "We're left with one game to go, and based on our previous two performances, we've identified areas for improvement. We must maintain our strengths while bringing the right mindset - this will require digging deep from the first minute to the last."

The Ugandan side has demonstrated clinical efficiency in their recent matches, though their initial phases have sometimes lacked urgency. Their ability to eventually dominate opponents will be crucial against a Zimbabwean team that pushed Tunisia to the wire in their last encounter, only conceding a late try.

This match represents more than just qualification - it's an opportunity for the Lady Cranes to transform their continental reputation. While Africa's top three rugby nations have traditionally posed significant challenges, Uganda's current campaign suggests a team ready to compete at the highest level. The squad's journey to this point has demanded considerable effort, but as Onen emphasizes, reaching the next tier will require even greater commitment and performance against rugby's established forces on the continent.

The encounter promises to be a stern test of Uganda's rugby development, with Zimbabwe likely to pose sustained challenges throughout the match. A composed, eighty-minute performance could see the Lady Cranes secure their place in African rugby's elite competition and mark a new chapter in Ugandan women's rugby history.