A total of 19 players are in the Rugby Cranes Sevens provisional squad that is currently training and preparing for the World Rugby Challenger Series 2023, Uganda Rugby Union has revealed.
The tournament will take place on 20-22 and 28-30 April 2023 at the Marotter Stadium in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Uganda will only field a men’s team (Rugby Cranes 7s) and they will be joined by Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Jamaica, Korea, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Zimbabwe.
Uganda’s final squad will be named by Coach Tolbert Onyango prior to the event.
Meanwhile, the women’s event will be graced by; Belgium, China, Colombia, Czechia, Hong Kong, Madagascar, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Poland, South Africa, Thailand, and a team from South America yet to be confirmed.
The winner of the 12-team women’s Challenger Series will gain the ultimate prize of automatic promotion to the Sevens World Series 2024 – the pinnacle of international rugby sevens.
However, the winner of the men’s Challenger Series, which also features 12 teams, will enter a four team play-off at the HSBC London Sevens in May 2023 together with the teams placed 12th-14th after ten rounds of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, with the winner of the play-off achieving Sevens World Series 2024 status.
Rugby Cranes 7s provisional squad:
1. Ian Arnold Munyani – KOBs
2. Desire Ayera – Stanbic Black Pirates
3. Alex Aturinda – Stanbic Black Pirates
4. Micheal Okorach – Heathens
5. Nobert Sexton Okeny – Heathens
6. Adrian Kasito – KOBs
7. Aaron Ofoyrworth – Heathens
8. Timothy Kisiga – Stanbic Plack Pirates
9. Denis Etwau – Jinja Hippos
10. Mubarak Wandera – Stanbic Black Pirates
11. Hossana Opileni – Rams
12. Timothy Mugisha Arocko – Jinja Hippos
13. William Lukwago – Mongers
14. Yasin Waiswa – Jinja Hippos
15. Otai Ivan – Impis
16. Aaron Tukei – Buffaloes
17. Allan Olango Olweny – Rhinos
18. Mark Osuna – KOBs
19. Philip Wokorach – Avenir Sportif de Bedarrides Chateaneuf-du-Pape Vaucluse Rugby (France).
