The Uganda Sevens team is set for a crucial test at the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Challenger, scheduled for March 1-2 at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa.
Uganda’s men’s team, the Rugby Cranes Sevens, has been drawn into Pool C alongside sevens heavyweights Samoa and Brazil. Meanwhile, the Lady Rugby Cranes will compete in Pool C against Belgium and Colombia.
With promotion to the elite HSBC SVNS series on the line, Uganda must secure a top-eight finish after the first two rounds in Cape Town to advance to the final Challenger event in Krakow, Poland, on April 11-12. The four best-performing teams across all three Challenger tournaments will then progress to the HSBC SVNS Playoff in Los Angeles on May 3-4, where they will face the lowest-ranked teams from the core series for a shot at promotion.
The men’s team faces a tough challenge against Samoa, a powerhouse in the sevens format, and Brazil, a team that has shown rapid development in recent years. A top-two finish in the pool will be crucial for Uganda’s chances of advancing further.
On the women’s side, Uganda will battle Belgium and Colombia. Belgium’s captain, Pauline Gernaey, highlighted the significance of global tournaments, stating, “Playing against teams from different regions with diverse playing styles helps us grow as a team.” Uganda’s women’s squad will look to make a strong impression and push for a place in the knockout stages.
Introduced in 2020, the Challenger series serves as a pathway for teams aiming to break into the top tier of international rugby sevens. Previous editions have seen teams like Kenya and Uruguay successfully earn promotion—an achievement Uganda hopes to replicate.
