Uganda’s Men’s and Women’s Sevens teams had a challenging start to the 2025 World Rugby HSBC Sevens Challenger Series in Cape Town, South Africa, finishing 7th and 8th, respectively.
Despite flashes of brilliance, both teams struggled to find consistency in their performances.
Men’s Team Finishes 7th After Mixed Results
The Uganda Men’s 7s team kicked off their campaign with a solid 24-14 victory over Brazil, showing promise early on.
However, they couldn’t maintain their momentum and suffered a 32-17 loss to Samoa, which knocked them out of semifinal contention.
In the 5th-place playoff, Uganda endured a tough 47-5 defeat to Portugal, but they managed to end their tournament on a positive note, securing a 17-7 win over Japan to claim 7th place overall.
Lady Cranes Finish 8th After Narrow Losses
The Uganda Women’s team also faced early struggles, starting with a 24-7 loss to Colombia.
However, they bounced back in impressive fashion, dominating Belgium 29-5 to finish second in their pool.
Their bid for a higher finish was halted by Thailand, who edged them 19-17 in the 5th-place playoff semifinal.
A 21-19 loss to the Czech Republic in their final match meant Uganda settled for 8th place overall.
What’s Next for Uganda?
Both teams will remain in South Africa for the second round of the Challenger Series, set for March 7-8.
The top eight teams from both rounds will qualify for Round 3 in Krakow, Poland (April 11-12).
The top four teams from the Challenger Series will advance to the HSBC Sevens Play-Off in Los Angeles (May 3-4), where they will compete for a spot in the 2026 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
