Makalama worried about Lady Rugby Cranes

By Usher Komugisha

The Lady Rugby Cranes’ head coach Brian Makalama has expressed concern on the number of players that showed up at the first national team training session Monday evening at the Kampala Rugby Club.

In a bid to retain the annual Elgon Cup, the Cranes have started training five weeks ahead of the first leg that will be held at the Kyadondo rugby club in Kampala.

Speaking to New Vision online after Monday's training, Makalama said, “Only 23 players of the 40-member squad I called have shown up today [Monday], however, I will work with the ones that are around.”

Makalama added that his main objective is to thrash Kenya both home and away and that kind of attitude has to be built throughout the remaining 14 training sessions before he names his final team.

National 7s captain Charlotte Mudoola who is returning from an ankle injury that took her out of last year’s CAR 7s tournament in Gaborone, Botswana was in full attendance while doing drills with the rest of the team.

Other senior players that attended training include Brenda Kayiyi, Winnie Atyang, Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi, Josephine Namayega and Helen Buteme and a couple of youngsters like the 2011 upcoming female player of the year nominee Phiona Nalubwama and Dora Namutebi.

Former national team captain Christine Kizito who inspired her side over the weekend with two tries as they routed archrivals Black Panthers 41-0 in the 15s league attaining a fresh back injury could not take part in the training.

Uganda lost to Kenya 22-10 in the first round of last year’s Elgon Cup in Nairobi and as all hope was lost because the Uganda Rugby Union (URU) had cancelled out a second leg citing financial constraints, the URU chairman William Blick reversed this decision.  

The Cranes thumped Kenya 29-10 to lift the annual trophy for the third time since the tournament’s inception in 2006.

Selected members of the provincial squad: Charlotte Mudoola, Christine Kizito, Helen Buteme, Stella Kyaligonza, Rosenburg Kanyunyuzi, Helen Gizamba, Brenda Kayiyi, Beatrice Atim, Asha Nakityo, Clare Anena, Irene Namapii, Phiona Nalubwama, Dorothy Nekesa, Josephine Namayega, Regina Athieno, Winnie Atyang, Aaliyah Adania, Charity Atimango, Harriet Kayonjo, Matilda Tino, Hadijah Namuyanja, Dora Namutebi  

Elgon Cup fixtures:

April 21 at Kyadondo rugby club, Kampala

Uganda v Kenya

April 28 at RFUEA Grounds, Nairobi

Kenya v Uganda

Past winners on aggregate

2006-Uganda wins 27-0

2007-Tournament cancelled

2008-Uganda 31-22

2009-Kenya wins 43-17

2010-Kenya wins 21-16

2011-Uganda wins 39-32