Uganda’s Lady Rugby Cranes suffered a heavy 62-6 defeat against defending champions South Africa in their opening match of the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup on Saturday at Stade Makis.
Facing a well-drilled Springbok Women’s side, Uganda struggled to gain a foothold in the contest as the South Africans ran in 10 tries, including two each from debutants Faith Tshauke and Patience Mokone.
South Africa dominated early possession and capitalised on field position, racing to a 29-0 halftime lead. The Lady Cranes, playing against the wind in the opening half, found it difficult to contain the physicality and width of the Bok attack.
Despite the scoreboard, Uganda showed glimpses of individual brilliance, with flanker Suzan Adong providing the standout moment for the East Africans when she intercepted a loose pass and sprinted clear to score her side’s only try. Priscovia Mukyala added the conversion to bring Uganda’s tally to six points.
That moment briefly shifted momentum midway through the second half, but South Africa responded quickly, finishing strongly with three more tries to close out the game.
The Lady Cranes struggled to match the Bok Women’s tempo and depth, with eight South African players making their Test debuts in a squad built around squad rotation and development.
Uganda, on the other hand, will look to regroup ahead of their next fixture as they continue building experience at the top level of African women’s rugby.
Despite the loss, Uganda’s appearance at the Rugby Africa Women’s Cup remains a key step forward in their development, providing much-needed exposure against top-tier opposition ahead of future competitions.
