Uganda one win away from silver at FISU World Rugby 7s Championship

The Uganda University Rugby 7s team is just one game away from the silver medal at the International University Sports Federation (FISU) World University Rugby 7s Championship.

This follows their hard-fought 14-5 victory over Mexico and 14-7 win over Japan, which secured them a semifinal clash against Argentina on the morning of Sunday, September 6, 2026, in an event currently underway in Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa.

The wins against Japan and Mexico have boosted the boys' confidence and attitude, making them believe they can reach the final.

Calvin Gizamba and Allan Karuhanda scored Uganda’s tries, with Gizamba successfully converting the kicks against Mexico, while Ryan Juuko and Daren Aine touched down against Japan.

As they face rugby giants Argentina, the team will need to adapt their tactical approach moving forward. Facing heavy winds that disrupted their play, the boys must focus on retaining possession and executing shorter, closer passes.

According to assistant coach Kevin Makmot, the strong winds caused the boys to start at a slow pace and heavily affected their passing accuracy.

“Because of the strong wind, the boys had to adjust the game plan against Japan. They needed to play closer passes and run the ball directly at the opponents,” Makmot stated.

In the other men's fixtures, Argentina whipped Zimbabwe 33-5, Japan dominated in a 43-0 win over Mexico, Australia narrowly defeated Zimbabwe 24-21, and Chile secured a 22-7 victory over Norway.

In the women's championship, Canada smashed Botswana 70-0, Japan defeated the USA 26-12, and France humiliated hosts South Africa 36-0. Additionally, Australia picked up an 89-0 blowout win against Botswana, Canada bested Ireland 35-7, and South Africa narrowly fell 14-12 to Japan.

The action continues on Saturday, September 5, 2026, featuring Day 2 fixtures and the quarterfinal matchups.