Uganda win 2022 Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens

The Uganda Men’s Rugby Sevens national team have won the Nile Special sponsored 2022 Rugby Africa Sevens.

They beat Zimbabwe, 28-00, in the Cup Final to be crowned African champions as they went unbeaten over the two-day event in which they conceded only three tries.

Uganda got the scoreboard ticking early on through vice-captain Ian Munyani who pounced on a loose ball to dive over under the uprights. Then Philip Wokorach converted easily to make it 07-00.

Rugby Cranes Sevens’ fly-half Philip Wokorach belts out all his emotions after the victory yesterday. Photo/ Eddie Chicco

But neither team could make use of that advantage as the first half ended 07-00 in favour of Uganda.

Then the floodgates opened as captain Michael Wokorach got his bite of the ice cake after a strong carry from Desire Ayera. Timothy Kisiga scored a brace afterwards to send the fans in attendance into a wild frenzy. All tries were well converted by Philip Wokorach for an undisputed gold medal.

Zimbabwe, who recovered from a shock loss in their first match on Day one to match onto the final, won the silver medal.

Kenya completed the podium, and qualified for the  Rugby World Cup sevens, after beating Zambia, 19-12, in the bronze medal match.

How the Rugby side prepared

Twenty-six players were invited for a mandatory medical screening exercise in August last year as Uganda set its sights on the 2022 rugby sevens season.

A statement on the Uganda Rugby Union website read that the men’s sevens national team intends to win the Rugby Africa Men’s Sevens Cup as it continues scaling global heights in rugby sevens.

The tournament was to serve as the qualifier for both the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town next year.

The bulk of the 26 invited players was formed by the perennial national team players led by captain Michael Wokorach. The others were rising talents identified from premier league teams.

Uganda settled for third place at the 2018 Africa Rugby Sevens tournament in Jemmel, Tunisia in October 2018.

Tolbert Onyango’s men beat surprise packs of the tournament Madagascar 24-19 in extra time to earn their place at the 2019 Hong Kong Sevens.

The event saw Zimbabwe clinch the crown after beating Kenya 17-5 while Uganda finished third at the time having emerged victors over Madagascar 19-24.

However, Kenya finished third and will join Uganda and Zimbabwe in Cape Town, South Africa, as the continent’s representatives.

The two finalists also qualified for the July Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
“We had to go all out for our fans . We know what it means to them. It’s great that we are returning to the World Cup and will also play at the Commonwealth Games,” captain Michael Wokorach told Daily Monitor.

Thomas Kisiga ensured that the southern Africans were humiliated – their second loss to Uganda in Africa Men’s final after 10-7 in 2017 at the Legends Rugby Club.

Cranes’ superstar, France-based Philip Wokorach, converted all bar one of the tries in the final. That trophy-clinching performance was only the icing to a cake that was baked on Saturday.
On Day One, Uganda walloped Burundi 71-0, Tunisia 29-0, Zambia 40-7. Day Two had familiar results with a 50-0 win over West Africans Burkina Faso and a 22-12 win over Kenya in the semifinal.