The Ugandan national rugby sevens team has set off for Zimbabwe to participate in the highly big Africa Men’s Sevens Tournament. The squad embarks on this journey as the defending champions, having clinched victory in the 2022 series, which was held in Uganda at Kyadondo rugby grounds. Their spectacular performance led them into a final where they triumphed over the current hosts, Zimbabwe.
One of the most significant highlights of this year’s tournament is the debut of the young and promising talent, Shimwa Davis. His selection to the national team marks a dream come true for the budding star, who undoubtedly holds immense promise for the future of Ugandan rugby.
The action is set to kick off on Saturday, the 16th, with the Uganda sevens team commencing their title defense journey. They face a challenging first day, starting with a match against Algeria at 9:22 AM. The intensity continues with a clash against Burkina Faso at 12:06 PM and concludes with an eagerly huge clash against the hosts, Zimbabwe, at 4:40 PM.
Day two promises an action-packed rugby day with three rounds, featuring quarter-finals, semi-finals, bronze finals, and the grand finals. It’s a stage where the true champions will emerge.
This year’s tournament boasts a formidable lineup of teams, including the likes of South Africa’s Springboks, Kenya, Zambia, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Tunisia, Nigeria, Madagascar, Burkina Faso, and Cote d’Ivoire. The competition is set to be extremely tight as only the champions of the Africa Sevens will secure a spot in the upcoming Olympics games in France.
The Ugandan squad representing the nation in this prestigious tournament is composed of a blend of experienced and emerging talents. The team is led by Ian Munyani as captain (C) and Aaron Ofoyrwoth as vice-captain (VC). Other key players include Adrian Kasito, Philip Wokorach, Isaac Massa, William Nkore, Alex Aturinda, Pius Ogena, Norbert Okeny, Denis Etwau, Mubarak Wandera, and the rising star, Davis Shimwa.