Rugby Cranes Sevens ready to compete again as Uganda hosts Africa Men's Sevens Series

Captain Ian Munyani believes the Rugby Cranes Sevens are ready to make up for lost time when they take to the Kyadondo Rugby Club pitch this weekend for the Africa Men's Sevens Series.

Uganda will host the two-day tournament on Saturday and Sunday, in what will be the team's biggest international engagement since the start of the year.

The tournament brings together eight nations — Ghana, Tunisia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Morocco, Senegal and hosts Uganda, with the Rugby Cranes determined to make the most of playing in front of their home fans.

Uganda is drawn in Pool B alongside Zambia, Tunisia and Senegal, while Pool A is led by Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Ghana.

For Munyani, the wait to finally compete has been a long one. Uganda had been scheduled to compete in the Africa Cup in June, but the tournament was postponed after an Ebola outbreak in Uganda disrupted travel plans.

"We have been training for quite a while, I guess from February. We were supposed to have played in June, but because of the Ebola cases, we could not travel. This has given us more time to prepare, and I can tell you this: you are going to enjoy Ugandan rugby," Munyani said during a press briefing at the Uganda Media Centre earlier this week.

The extended preparation period has given the Rugby Cranes more time to build cohesion, sharpen their game plan and prepare for the demands of a tournament that offers a pathway to qualification for Rugby SVNS 3 in 2027.

Playing at home could also prove crucial. Uganda returns to Kyadondo, a venue that holds fond memories for the Rugby Cranes after they won the Africa Cup there in 2022.

Munyani and his teammates will, however, have little room for complacency, particularly with Zimbabwe among the teams in the field.

The Zimbabwe Cheetahs have provided Uganda with some of its toughest tests in African sevens rugby, although the Rugby Cranes got the better of them in the 2022 Africa Cup final at Kyadondo.

That history adds another layer to what promises to be a demanding weekend, with Uganda needing to be at its best if it is to negotiate its way through the tournament.

Munyani will not have to carry the responsibility alone. Uganda has a strong core of experienced players, including Adrian Kasito, Desire Ayera, Karim Arinaitwe, Norbert Okeng and Dennis Etwau, who have featured in numerous international sevens campaigns.

Their experience will be vital, but so too will be the energy and ambition of the younger players in the squad.

With the captain leading from the front, the Rugby Cranes will hope their long wait for international action ends with a statement performance on home soil.

Africa Men’s 7’s Series (World Rugby SVNS 3 Qualifiers)

Saturday

Nigeria vs Ghana 12pm

Zimbabwe vs Morocco 12:22pm

Zambia vs Tunisia 12:44pm

Uganda vs Senegal 13:06pm

Nigeria vs Morocco 14:44pm

Zimbabwe vs Ghana 15:06pm

Zambia vs Senegal 15:28pm

Uganda vs Tunisia 15:50pm

Sunday

Ghana vs Morocco 9am

Tunisia vs Senegal 9:22am

Zimbabwe vs Nigeria 9:44am

Uganda vs Zambia 10:06am