Day two in Montevideo came with mixed results for the Pearl of Africa as both teams registered their first losses, the men’s team suffering heavier.
In the first game, the 2022 Africa 7s Champions needed extra time to claim the golden point against winless Papua New Guinea and claim the top spot in the group and unbeaten status. The win set them up against East African foes, Kenya Shujaa, in the quarterfinals.
Kenya ended the Rugby Cranes’ hopes and unbeaten run courtesy of a nervy 7-5 win. Uganda saw Aaron Ofoywroth sent to the sin-bin, and Kenya awarded the resultant penalty try.
The Cranes got back into it almost right away through the mercurial Philip Wokorach but the conversion was missed. Owing to that result, Uganda will play Germany, for the second time in Montevideo, in the fifth place decider at 23:43HRS EAT on Sunday night.
The Lady Cranes also suffered their first defeat in Uruguay in their last group stages game against Argentina, going down 21-05. Uganda finished the pool stages in second place, setting up a quarterfinal matchup against Hong Kong 7s.
Uganda fell behind early in the quarterfinal but would come back and force a 17-all draw at full-time. In extra time, Uganda got out of jail through a Grace Auma run, which set up the platform for Agnes Nakuya to burst over for the winning score.
Uganda Lady Cranes will now play China in the semifinals for a place in the finale, at 8:56 pm on Sunday.
Courtesy Photos
