She Cranes settle for sixth place after losing to South Africa
The She Cranes made a bright start and looked on course to repeat their 2022 victory over the Spar Proteas.
Courtesy photo
Group B matches
Uganda 65 vs Scotland 56
New Zealand :6 points
Jamaica:6 points
Uganda: 4 points
Classification match
Uganda 54 vs South Africa 62
Uganda's national netball team, the She Cranes, settled for a sixth-place finish at the 2026 Commonwealth Games after suffering a 62-54 defeat to South Africa in the fifth-place classification match.
The She Cranes made a bright start and looked on course to repeat their 2022 victory over the Spar Proteas. Uganda dominated the opening quarter, displaying sharp attacking play and disciplined defending to take a 17-12 lead.
However, South Africa gradually found their rhythm and clawed their way back into the contest. The Proteas overturned Uganda's early lead to take a narrow 32-28 advantage into the halftime break.
South Africa emerged from the halftime break with renewed energy and capitalised on a series of unforced errors from Uganda. The She Cranes struggled to retain possession, with several misplaced and blind passes allowing the South Africans to launch quick counterattacks.
In an attempt to change the momentum, head coach Rashid Mubiru made several tactical substitutions in the third quarter. Mercy Batamuliza replaced goal attacker Shadia Nassanga, Nassim Mutesi came on for Gloria Aya, while Lilian Achola took over from Joan Reykoboth at wing attack.
The changes, however, failed to produce the desired impact as South Africa continued to pile on the pressure. Realising the game was slipping away, Mubiru quickly restored Nassanga and Aya to the court, with the duo returning to stabilise the team for the closing stages.
Despite a spirited fight in the final quarter, Uganda was unable to recover from the deficit. South Africa maintained their composure in attack and defence to seal a 62-54 victory and claim fifth place.
For the She Cranes, the result marked a slight decline from their performance at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where they defeated South Africa 54-48 to secure fifth place. This time, they had to settle for sixth after a tournament in which they registered wins over Wales, Trinidad and Tobago, and Scotland but fell short against New Zealand, Jamaica, and South Africa.