Uganda’s Lady Cranes 7s wrapped up their Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens campaign with another bronze-medal finish, showing resilience and character after falling to Kenya in the semifinals for the second straight year.
The Ugandan side approached the third-place playoff with intent, wasting no time in stamping their authority on the match. Peace Lekuru opened the scoring with a strong finish, quickly followed by Samiya Ayikoru’s burst through the midfield. Grace Nabaggala added a third converted try, giving Uganda a commanding early lead and setting the tone for the contest.
Madagascar, however, refused to be swept aside. The Maki Ladies strung together a brilliant sequence of passes and offloads to register their first try, exploiting gaps in the Cranes’ defensive line. Their effort trimmed Uganda’s lead, but the response was immediate. Suzan Adong powered over for Uganda’s fourth try, and Lydia Namabiro added another to stretch the advantage to 33–12.
Momentum continued to swing Uganda’s way in the second half, helped largely by the introduction of Yvonne Najjuma — a standout impact player throughout the tournament. Her strength in contact and ability to break tackles created constant problems for Madagascar. One of her dominant carries opened space for Unity Namulala to score right between the posts, putting the result beyond doubt.
While the Lady Cranes settled for third place, the tournament brought a bright individual highlight: Lydia Namabiro emerged as the top try scorer of the entire competition, underscoring her growing influence and consistency on the continental stage.
