After playing two HSBC World Rugby Series legs as an invitational side in Cape Town and Dubai last year, winning plaudits despite looking like a work in progress, Uganda will open their Group E campaign against Tonga with strong and conditioned players, Sevens Cranes coach Tolbert Onyango says.
The match on April 7th at the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens Rugby competition will proceed games against Jamaica and Germany in the group.
“Uganda has prepared well for Hong Kong. We had two months of serious drills from as early as 6am lasting one and a half hours, five days a week,” Onyango said ahead of the team’s departure on Sunday. “We know the hurdle in Hong Kong will not be an easy one.”
“We showed our seriousness by hiring former Kenya Sevens strength and conditioning coach Geoffrey Kimani and he has done a great job.”
Coach Onyango said James Odong, Alhadji Manano and Kevin Keremundu are the three players not featuring in Hong Kong having been part of the two editions of the HSBC series but Ramathan Govule, Phillip Wokorach, Eric Kasiita, Fred Odur, Timothy Kisiga, Lawrence Sebuliba, Pius Ogena, Adrian Kasito, Byron Oketayot, Solomon Okia, Michael Wokorach and Marvin Odongo all make the cut.