The price of complacency
Jun 26, 2005
THE consequences of Uganda Rugby Cranes' defeat of Kenya in 2003 seem to suggest that victory can at times flatter.
THE consequences of Uganda Rugby Cranes' defeat of Kenya in 2003 seem to suggest that victory can at times flatter.
The 2003 Super Six victory came with a lot of enthusiasm that it seemed to herald a very bright future where a result like last Saturday's home defeat for Uganda was unimaginable.
The 2003 excitement was understandable given that Uganda had secured her first national team 15s win over Kenya in close to four decades.
But this thrust into a new orbit seems not to have received the commensurate hard work it required.
Uganda also failed to wake up to the fact that what they had attained was a home win which in real rugby terms is a basic. All teams worth their salt are supposed to win their home games.
Like they say, success breeds complacency. The local rugby fraternity swaggered instead of going back to the drawing board to lay strategies on how best not only to follow up such results, but also go even a step further with away wins.
Were headlines like: “Uganda warns Kenya†therefore surprising in the run up to Saturday's 2007 World Cup qualifying match at Lugogo?
It was yet another case of an inflated impression — the kind that probably explains why Uganda's national side was playing its first 15-aside international match in almost a year.
The barely two weeks’ local build-up for a battle against a side of Kenya’s might also said a lot about Uganda’s attitude. All this was meanwhile contrary to a more focused Kenya team that prepared with its 2003 treatment at Lugogo well in mind.
Proceedings in the match proper were thus no surprise to those who had closely followed Uganda’s preparations.
Kenya was vividly a better prepared unit. Uganda on their hand made a joke of itself with poor handling, kicking and almost total loss of concentration in the final quarter.
Rugby authorities had also better seriously think about the cheering. A strong Kenyan presence in the stands (thanks to a significant Kenyan student population here) on many occasions made the visitors look like the home team.
Uganda Rugby Union (URU) had better wake up. When a man comes and beats you in your backyard, you know there is something seriously amiss.
Better URU starts the preparations for the away encounter against the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar in two weeks time now.
Ends
The 2003 Super Six victory came with a lot of enthusiasm that it seemed to herald a very bright future where a result like last Saturday's home defeat for Uganda was unimaginable.
The 2003 excitement was understandable given that Uganda had secured her first national team 15s win over Kenya in close to four decades.
But this thrust into a new orbit seems not to have received the commensurate hard work it required.
Uganda also failed to wake up to the fact that what they had attained was a home win which in real rugby terms is a basic. All teams worth their salt are supposed to win their home games.
Like they say, success breeds complacency. The local rugby fraternity swaggered instead of going back to the drawing board to lay strategies on how best not only to follow up such results, but also go even a step further with away wins.
Were headlines like: “Uganda warns Kenya†therefore surprising in the run up to Saturday's 2007 World Cup qualifying match at Lugogo?
It was yet another case of an inflated impression — the kind that probably explains why Uganda's national side was playing its first 15-aside international match in almost a year.
The barely two weeks’ local build-up for a battle against a side of Kenya’s might also said a lot about Uganda’s attitude. All this was meanwhile contrary to a more focused Kenya team that prepared with its 2003 treatment at Lugogo well in mind.
Proceedings in the match proper were thus no surprise to those who had closely followed Uganda’s preparations.
Kenya was vividly a better prepared unit. Uganda on their hand made a joke of itself with poor handling, kicking and almost total loss of concentration in the final quarter.
Rugby authorities had also better seriously think about the cheering. A strong Kenyan presence in the stands (thanks to a significant Kenyan student population here) on many occasions made the visitors look like the home team.
Uganda Rugby Union (URU) had better wake up. When a man comes and beats you in your backyard, you know there is something seriously amiss.
Better URU starts the preparations for the away encounter against the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar in two weeks time now.
Ends