Uganda crashes out of world's Sevens Qualifiers

Apr 07, 2018

It was the only game of the tournament when they did not score a single try, and barely ventured into their opponents 22

PIC: Michael Okorach cannot find a way past the Germans during the first quarter final of the World Sevens Qualifiers. Uganda lost 0-24. (Photo Credit: URU/JOSEPH ANTHONY)

2018 WORLD RUGBY SEVENS SERIES QUALIFIERS

Germany 26 - 0 Uganda

HONG KONG - At the end it was a dream too far for the Uganda Rugby Cranes Sevens team, and all the dreams of playing with the big boys ended with a crashing defeat to Germany on a balmy Hong Kong evening.

It was the first quarter final of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series qualifiers, and Uganda faced the insurmountable task of overcoming a focused and extremely intense German side that wanted the win more than anyone else. And it was just a little bit too much to ask of the Rugby Cranes.

"It is a big disappointment, we all expected much more than this," Coach Tolbert Onyango said after the game. "But we never got our game going, and at the end, the boys gave what they could but it was nowhere near enough. Did we think we had what it takes? Of course we did, but it just did not happen."

In spite of the biggest loss of the tournament, the Ugandans showed flashes of the finesse that make them defending Africa Sevens champions, and played better than they had played the whole tournament. They pressed the Germans into making several mistakes but they could not capitalise on the resulting penalties, and repeatedly gave the ball back to their opponents. It was the only game of the tournament when they did not score a single try, and barely ventured into their opponents 22.

Next up are the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane just a week away, and the team has to regroup, refocus and hope for a better result.

"There is not much we can do in a week," Michael Wandera, the team manager, said. "We just need to refocus and put this disappointment behind us, and move on. Maybe by the time the World Cup comes around we could change a few things."

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