Cranes confident even after defeat
Jun 08, 2006
FOR the record, as of last week, Uganda has joined the big boys of rugby. The Rugby Cranes played their first ever game against a full professional Moroccan side and, according to national coach Yayiro Kasasa and team manager Henry Musoke, the match was much closer than what the final score of 36-3
By Kalungi Kabuye
and Ronnie Kintu
FOR the record, as of last week, Uganda has joined the big boys of rugby. The Rugby Cranes played their first ever game against a full professional Moroccan side and, according to national coach Yayiro Kasasa and team manager Henry Musoke, the match was much closer than what the final score of 36-3 in favour of the North Africans potrays.
“They were much bigger and faster than us, but our defence held them off and they only scored a try in the 14th minute,†Kasasa said. “And the boys were still not really confident yet, not fully believing they could play with the Moroccans, who are the African champions.â€
The coach said that while Uganda has been able to outmuscle regional sides, they found a bigger side that won many of the line-outs, mauls and scrums. And they were much quicker in the transitional game.
“Those guys ran,†he said, “while our forwards could not do much against them. They ran every time they got the ball, and in fact four of their tries came down the wings. But we managed to contain them otherwise.â€
Fly half Allan Musoke, meanwhile believes that with a few more correct calls from the French referee, may be some of those tries would not have counted. One was clearly a knock-on, he said, and the other two came from an outside position.
“Remove those three tries from the scoreboard and it would have been a different story,†he said.
“We’ve learnt a lot,†Kasasa said. “And with the help of South African Chester Williams, who should be here to help work on the team, we intend to pay the Moroccans back when they come here,†Kasasa added.
The Cranes returned home Monday and have stated preparations for another tie against Ivory Coast before the home return leg with Morocco September 2.
Uganda in group A will have to beat Morocco and Ivory Coast to qualify for the last stage of the World Cup qualifiers.
Group B has Kenya, Namibia and Tunisia.
and Ronnie Kintu
FOR the record, as of last week, Uganda has joined the big boys of rugby. The Rugby Cranes played their first ever game against a full professional Moroccan side and, according to national coach Yayiro Kasasa and team manager Henry Musoke, the match was much closer than what the final score of 36-3 in favour of the North Africans potrays.
“They were much bigger and faster than us, but our defence held them off and they only scored a try in the 14th minute,†Kasasa said. “And the boys were still not really confident yet, not fully believing they could play with the Moroccans, who are the African champions.â€
The coach said that while Uganda has been able to outmuscle regional sides, they found a bigger side that won many of the line-outs, mauls and scrums. And they were much quicker in the transitional game.
“Those guys ran,†he said, “while our forwards could not do much against them. They ran every time they got the ball, and in fact four of their tries came down the wings. But we managed to contain them otherwise.â€
Fly half Allan Musoke, meanwhile believes that with a few more correct calls from the French referee, may be some of those tries would not have counted. One was clearly a knock-on, he said, and the other two came from an outside position.
“Remove those three tries from the scoreboard and it would have been a different story,†he said.
“We’ve learnt a lot,†Kasasa said. “And with the help of South African Chester Williams, who should be here to help work on the team, we intend to pay the Moroccans back when they come here,†Kasasa added.
The Cranes returned home Monday and have stated preparations for another tie against Ivory Coast before the home return leg with Morocco September 2.
Uganda in group A will have to beat Morocco and Ivory Coast to qualify for the last stage of the World Cup qualifiers.
Group B has Kenya, Namibia and Tunisia.