By Daniel Nyeko
The She Cranes will return to international action in November when they feature in the second edition of the Celtic Cup, an expanded tournament scheduled for November 26 to 30 at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland.
The competition, created by Netball Northern Ireland, Netball Scotland and Wales Netball, was designed to provide a high-level international platform outside the Netball World Cup and Commonwealth Games. Uganda, ranked seventh in the world, will join fellow African teams Zimbabwe (18th) and Namibia (18th) as invitational participants. They will line up against the home nations of Wales (6th), Scotland (10th) and Northern Ireland (12th).
Netball Uganda president Jocelyn Ucanda confirmed the team’s participation and expressed excitement about the opportunity. “I am thrilled to see the She Cranes back on the international stage. This is a big moment for Uganda and we hope to go all the way,” she said.
Organisers are equally upbeat. Netball Scotland CEO Ken Hay said Glasgow was ready to host athletes, coaches and fans for what she described as “a feast of international netball.” She added that the inclusion of Uganda, Zimbabwe and Namibia would bring fresh competition and spectacle.
Northern Ireland’s CEO Karen Rollo praised the tournament’s rapid growth after the success of last year’s inaugural edition. “It is amazing to see the event grow. We look forward to welcoming Namibia for the first time and to competing against familiar rivals,” she said.
Welsh Feathers CEO Sarah Boswell echoed the excitement, noting that the expanded format would test her side against both home nations and three strong international teams.
The Celtic Cup will run in a round-robin format across five days, with every fixture carrying weight as teams chase a first-past-the-post title.
