Uganda wins historic silver at FISU World University Rugby 7s Championship
Patrick Ssebuliba, the General Secretary of the Association of Uganda University Sports (AUUS), expressed immense pride in the team's performance, attributing the milestone to robust teamwork, thorough preparation, and tactical awareness.
Rhinos' Davis Shimwa is tackled by a Pirates opponent during their championship game. Pirates won 49–10. PHOTO: Johnson Were
The Uganda University Rugby 7s team has won a historic silver medal at the International University Sports Federation (FISU) World University Rugby 7s Championship.
Uganda secured the second-place podium finish following a tough and physical final against hosts South Africa, losing 34–7 in Stellenbosch, Cape Town, on Sunday.
Despite the final defeat, it was an immense performance from the Ugandan squad, who showed tremendous improvement from their sixth-place finish in their last outing in 2018.
En route to the final, Uganda pulled off a spectacular 17–14 upset against rugby giants Argentina in an intense semifinal clash. Meanwhile, South Africa booked their final spot by dominating Japan 38–5.
Patrick Ssebuliba, the General Secretary of the Association of Uganda University Sports (AUUS), expressed immense pride in the team's performance, attributing the milestone to robust teamwork, thorough preparation, and tactical awareness.
"The tournament schedule was incredibly tight, but the impressive performance is a testament to the teamwork and the excellent preparations we had before departure," Ssebuliba said.
"We also studied the opposition on YouTube to understand their tactics. The coaches designed great technical plans to counter them, which is how we overcame the opposition to make the final."
Looking ahead, Ssebuliba noted that the focus shifts immediately to drawing up a strategy to build an even stronger team for the 2028 FISU World University Championship Games in Spain.
Because the university cycle means losing several current squad members to graduation, AUUS plans to scout fresh talent early.
"We are going to lose many of these players, so we have to build a formidable side for the next AUUS team. We will target secondary school competitions and the National Rugby 7s tournament to identify young talents who will be in their second year of academic programs by 2028 to ensure team consistency," Ssebuliba added.
Uganda's standout campaign was anchored by stellar individual performances throughout the tournament, with players Daren Aine, Allan Karuhanga, Davis Shimwa, and Calvin Gizamba consistently at the top of their games.